These three architectural elements of Mercy Hill Church in Phoenix, built in 1946, will be preserved and incorporated into the side of the apartment building replacing the church. The church will move to a property across the street. (Courtesy city of Phoenix)
By Mark Carlisle | Your Valley
Phoenix City Council last week approved a rezoning that allows a 77-year-old church to be sold and replaced with an apartment building, on the condition that a few of the church’s key architectural elements on the façade facing the street be preserved.
Some community members wanted the church’s entire sanctuary building to be preserved as an historic building. However, many Mercy Hill Church members, including pastors, spoke in favor of the sale, saying upkeep of the aging building had become too costly and the sale would allow them to continue their ministry at a location across the street.
Skylar Cook, with the church, said officials were in a constant tug of war between taking care of the building and taking care of their community outreach.
“And that’s a really unfortunate thing for the church to have to decide when our entire goal is to serve and protect the disconnected inside of our own community,” Cook said.
Opponents of the rezoning wanted to see affordable housing in the project.
The three elements being preserved and integrated into the apartment building are the brick bell tower, the shorter tower over the church’s entryway and a row of brick arches connecting the two. All of these elements face Fillmore Street. They will be worked into the design of the side of the new apartment building.
