Interfaith Design

As we prepare for our upcoming Town Hall on Adaptive Reuse on Thursday, March 6, I wanted to share an article from Rick Reinhard about one aspect of adaptive reuse: namely what we can do with empty buildings no longer used for their original, faith-based focus.

Transforming Emptying Houses of Worship - Counselors of Real Estate

Written by Rick Reinhard

OVERVIEW

What declining department stores were to our municipalities in the late 20th and early 21st century, emptying houses of worship are today, only the challenges are more vexing.

A tsunami of emptying houses of worship is washing across the U.S., from denomination to denomination, from coast to coast.  The former Vice President of Research and Planning of the National Council of Churches estimates that 100,000 houses may be closed over the next decade.

Why the tsunami?  A perfect storm.  Americans, especially younger generations, are shying away from attending services.  A 2021 Gallup poll showed that over the past 20 years, church membership plummeted from 70 percent to 47 percent of Americans; projecting that decline a generation forward may tell an even greater story.

Real estate operating costs are up, especially for utilities, insurance, and repair, exacerbated by aging facilities overdue for repair. Estimates are that it costs congregations $7-10 per square foot just to operate church buildings, never mind paying for staff or services.

Personal mobility and internet connectivity have undergone a revolution.  In the 19th century worshipers either walked or rode horseback to services.  Today with one click of the computer, neighborhood houses of worship compete with those from all over the globe, as with one click, worshipers can join services of the Pope or the Dalai Lama.  

Finally, Covid-19 threw a giant monkey wrench into the works; Covid drove people away from services who never returned or moved to online services for the convenience and accessibility.

I've just included the introduction here. You can continue reading the full article here on the Councilor's of Real Estate's website.

As we prepare for our upcoming Town Hall on Adaptive Reuse on Thursday, March 6, I wanted to share an article from Rick Reinhard about one aspect of adaptive reuse: namely what we can do with empty buildings no longer used for their original, faith-based focus.

Transforming Emptying Houses of Worship - Counselors of Real Estate

Written by Rick Reinhard

OVERVIEW

What declining department stores were to our municipalities in the late 20th and early 21st century, emptying houses of worship are today, only the challenges are more vexing.

A tsunami of emptying houses of worship is washing across the U.S., from denomination to denomination, from coast to coast.  The former Vice President of Research and Planning of the National Council of Churches estimates that 100,000 houses may be closed over the next decade.

Why the tsunami?  A perfect storm.  Americans, especially younger generations, are shying away from attending services.  A 2021 Gallup poll showed that over the past 20 years, church membership plummeted from 70 percent to 47 percent of Americans; projecting that decline a generation forward may tell an even greater story.

Real estate operating costs are up, especially for utilities, insurance, and repair, exacerbated by aging facilities overdue for repair. Estimates are that it costs congregations $7-10 per square foot just to operate church buildings, never mind paying for staff or services.

Personal mobility and internet connectivity have undergone a revolution.  In the 19th century worshipers either walked or rode horseback to services.  Today with one click of the computer, neighborhood houses of worship compete with those from all over the globe, as with one click, worshipers can join services of the Pope or the Dalai Lama.  

Finally, Covid-19 threw a giant monkey wrench into the works; Covid drove people away from services who never returned or moved to online services for the convenience and accessibility.

I've just included the introduction here. You can continue reading the full article here on the Councilor's of Real Estate's website.