How diversity saved a historic church in West Philly

From Philadelphia-

Philadelphia’s neighborhoods are studded with hundreds of historic churches. But as attendance steadily declines, many of these religious buildings have fallen into disrepair. Some have been forced to become something else entirely, like loft-style apartments.

A Pew Charitable Trust study released in October found that of the city’s 839 historic churches – defined as those constructed before 1965 – about 83 percent were still being used for religious purposes. 10 percent have been repurposed into other uses and five percent are vacant.

From 2011 to 2015, 23 were demolished.

The loss of historic churches is a trend that continues, as Bella Vista’s Christian Street Baptist Church is now targeted for demolition, even after the building was thought to have been spared the wrecking ball by the Historical Commission.

In West Philadelphia, the Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue, faced a similar fate. The building had fallen into disrepair, but instead of allowing the demolition of the church, the neighborhood saved the space by embracing the diversity of the surrounding community.

More here-

http://planphilly.com/articles/2017/12/08/how-diversity-saved-a-historic-church-in-west-philly