Reuse for Other Religious Uses

Property: Multiple
Location: Philadelphia
Project: Church to synagogue; church to church
Completion: varied

Contact:
Inspired c/o The Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia
1616 Walnut, Suite 2310
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 546-1146

Notes: Article prepared by Inspired, "Adopting a House of Worship" Philadelphia's Temple Beth Zion - Beth Israel was a Methodist Church; St. George's Greek Orthodox Church designed in 1822 as an Episcopal Church by architect John Haviland; Pinn Memorial Baptist Church is housed in the former Har Zion Temple.

Suggested guidelines for congregations considering a move into another religious structure:

1. Live with the adopted building for a while, before rushing into hasty alterations. Many original features may be very well worth preserving.

2. Form a "building use" committee to generate a coordinated master plan for the uses and æsthetics of the building.

3. Use the expertise of architects or liturgical designers to advise on space planning of the worship environment.

4. Retain the architectural and artistic expressions and building elements of previous congregations to the extent that they do not conflict with your faith traditions.

5. Architectural or artistic elements that must be removed should be carefully dismantled intact and offered to other congregations. Consider also retaining these elements in place, "camouflaging" them with temporary screens, walls, etc.