Downtown Churches

These churches don’t want poor people as congregants. They couldn’t build $90 Million buildings like that Catholic cathedral the “church” made a conscious decision to build (& spend $90 Million) at the height of the Great Recession…

…so NO, churches would not be interested in commingling with poor people on their properties

the church was funded with donations, and several parts omitted or scaled back because of the additional expense, if i recall correctly.

Still was $90Million in the height of the Great Recession

I think I have posted this before but this is a shot I got from Pullen Park!

16 Likes

Palm trees and neoclassical domes, oh my!

3 Likes

Having that cathedral built there was more likely akin to why PNC Arena is where it is: the land was already owned by the church.

2 Likes

Now this is an interesting observation.

Numerous church assets inside of the Beltline (I-440, for those less familiar) have favorable by-right, higher density and mixed-use zoning that could be repurposed for and/or developed into affordable, missing middle and attainable housing along with approachable space for other much-needed community activities in our urban core.

From my preliminary research, local churches of varying denominations/flavors own 162 acres of dirt inside the Beltline, which corresponds to approximately $564M in tax-assessed valued assets.

11 Likes

soapbox warning
The Edenton Street rezoning got me thinking about churches in general, specifically on-street parking. Why is it that church-goers can park in no parking zones and in bike lanes on Sunday with no recourse, but if someone was visiting a tax-paying business during the week or even later in the day on Sunday, they would be ticketed.

I’m thinking specifically about Vintage Church on Moore Square. Their congregants park all along Person St. every Sunday. Anyone else notice this?

5 Likes

I would imagine it has something to do with the fact that ticketing churchgoers is a great way to get an entire congregation of statistically very likely to vote people very mad at the city government.

12 Likes

We’re still in the south basically. But they’re actually legally allowed to park in bike lanes on Sunday mornings. They pretty much run politics at the end of the day anywhere in the South.

11 Likes

OK, good to know. Even though I disagree with it completely.

2 Likes

I know in Atlanta a lot of the no parking signs even say “except Sunday 9-1”

2 Likes

If only there was something in the Constitution about separation of Church and State…

11 Likes

Elected officials can’t establish or prohibit the free exercise of a church, but they sure as heck can pander to them.

3 Likes

Yep. In many cases, it’s less about churches lobbying and more the possibility of churches lobbying. If city leaders avoid stepping on toes altogether, then it’s one less thing they have to worry about.

I know from experience that church goers parking in no-parking zones can be an inconvenience for some. Consider the alternative:
A church buys an adjacent lot (assuming the owner of said lot was willing to sell), to use for surface parking, or worse yet, construct a parking deck.
Would you rather live with the status quo, or have another parking lot/parking garage? Pick your poison.

4 Likes

I’d rather them use the same parking that everyone else uses when they come downtown.

10 Likes

If they are allowed to park in bike lanes on Sunday mornings, then I should be allowed to order a beer on early Sunday mornings.

14 Likes

In fact, Sunday mornings should be the absolute easiest time to find a legal parking spot downtown.

I’d rather they move to a suburban location with plentiful onsite parking if it’s such a big problem.

4 Likes

Yes! Amen. :pray:t2: :pray:t2: :pray:t2: