The congregation and leaders of the Seattle Church of Christ have big restoration plans for the former Christian Scientist church they moved into last year. They've also launched an effort to hold a live and silent auction at the end of May to raised money for the work.The architecturally significant building at 2555 Eighth Ave. W. on Queen Anne Hill was built in 1926, and restoring it will cost anywhere from $1.5 million to $3 million, according to Pastor Jay Kelly, who heads up the 18-year-old church group.That's on top of the $1.56 million mortgage the group took out for the property at the end of last summer. "The previous church is carrying the loan," Kelly said.It could have been worse. The original asking price was $2.3 million, which the Seattle Church of Christ couldn't afford, and TM Homes LLC had already stepped in to buy the church property with plans to tear it down and replace it with four townhouses.The prospect hit a raw nerve in Queen Anne, and many neighborhood residents were outraged at the thought of losing the church to development. The Queen Anne Community Council was also troubled, as were Queen Anne Neighbors for Responsible Growth and the Queen Anne Historical Society. The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation also weighed in, listing the church as one of the 10 most endangered historical properties in the state.There were also environmental concerns about tearing down the church building and a separate building used as office space because the buildings had lead paint on them.And the Department of Planning and Development had issued a demolition permit, which was challenged by a couple living right next door with two small children. Also challenging the demolition permit were other appellants that included the community council.The result was an order by a city Hearing Examiner directing the DPD to conduct a more thorough environmental review for the demolition permit, DPD spokesman Allan Justad said at the time.It never came to that, though. TM Homes backed out of the project, and the Christian Scientists lowered the price for the property, clearing the way for the Seattle Church of Christ to buy it, making the church the first permanent home the 270-plus congregation had even had, Kelly said. The group had been meeting in rented space before then, he added.News that the church would be saved was warmly welcomed. "We really felt a tremendous amount of support from the Queen Anne community," Kelly said.Kelly and other congregation members pledged to reach out to the community when the deal was closed, and the group has carried through on the promise by starting work on landscaping and building a walled seating area with a fountain in the middle for the public, he said. "Obviously, the courtyard has been a priority for us because we view it as a bridge to the community."The carpet has been replaced in the building, and the church group also used latex paint to immediately cover the old lead-based paint inside and outside of the building, Kelly said. "There wasn't a tremendous amount of peeling."Work so far, including on the courtyard, is in the $125,000 range he said. But other immediate plans include removing a set of pews and extending the alter platform at the front so that it can be used for weddings and other celebrations, Kelly said shortly before meeting with the carpenter who will do the job last week.One of the reasons cited by the Christian Scientists for moving a couple of years ago was that the church roof alone needed roughly $100,000 in repairs, something the shrunken congregation couldn't afford.With construction-inflation costs factored in, the roof repair will now cost around $150,000, acknowledged Kelly, who wasn't able to pin down the total restoration costs for a good reason. "Everybody has a different opinion about what the building needs," he explained.There are some repairs, however, that obviously need to be taken care of in the near future, according to Kelly. The electrical system and plumbing need work, and the old boiler and radiators that heat the building need to be replaced as well, he said.Kelly stressed that, while there has been some settling, the building is structurally sound. "But we would like to address an earthquake retrofit in the future," he added.Much will depend on how well the auction goes. "The amount we raise at the auction will determine what projects get taken care of next year," Kelly said.The church is also looking into potential grants for the project, he said without much enthusiasm. "Sadly, there not a lot money for these old buildings."Called "Another 100 Years," the auction effort will include dinner and such things as spa treatments and vacations, he said. "We have a long list of items that have been donated by friends of the church and church members."Well-known auctioneer April Brown will handle the live bidding at the event, which is scheduled to begin in the church at 6 p.m. May 31. Cost is $60, and those interested can make reservations or make donations at www.another100years.com.[[In-content Ad]]
