Summit panelists tell of lessons learned as they’ve developed and redeveloped church properties

LOUISVILLE — Panelists assembled for last week’s Faith-Based Development Summit offered up lessons learned from their experiences either developing church properties or readying them for development.

Rebecca Hollenbach, a public health and health equity strategist, moderated the panel Thursday, which featured:

• The Rev. Gerald Joiner, pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and developer of Zion Manor Senior Apartments in the city’s Russell Neighborhood.
• Andrew Hawes, president of Housing Partnership Inc. and the co-developer of Zion Manor Senior Apartments.
• The Rev. Dr. Jamesetta Ferguson, pastor of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ and the developer of The Village @ West Jefferson, also in the Russell Neighborhood.
• Dianne Foster, a ruling elder at John Knox Presbyterian Church in Louisville, where the author is also a member.

Joiner said that Zion Manor Senior Apartments came about “through collaboration and not duplication. We purchased 22 properties that were eyesores, razed them, and improved the attractiveness of the Russell community. It’s safe, affordable housing for seniors in need of housing.

“It was enlightening and rewarding to see the level of dedication on the part of the congregation,” said Hawes. “We invited Rev. Joyner to join our board, which he did, to develop Zion Manor Phase 2.”

“My journey into development was out of necessity,” Ferguson said. Because of significant maintenance issues with its 140-year-old church building, the congregation left the property 12 years ago. “We didn’t want people to have additional medical issues because of the environmental challenges,” she said. The church moved three blocks “to continue to do the work we were doing.”

“I didn’t think it would take long to redevelop our property. We aren’t back yet, and it’s been 12 years,” she said. “You have to push your way through if you want to have a viable project. It won’t happen overnight.”

From the UCC’s Church Building & Loan Fund, Ferguson found out about the Partners in Vision program, which offers planning and technical assistance for major projects. She was told St. Peter’s would be a good candidate. “You have brick and mortar, but you don’t have the financial sustainability to continue to do missional work in the community,” the church was told, according to Ferguson. But “if the project works, it can be a model across the U.S.”

St. Peter’s sub-parceled its land The Village @ West Jefferson opened in 2021, bringing in 12 businesses including a bank, a restaurant, a childcare center and a healthcare service. That’s helped pay to renovate the historic church, Ferguson said.

Foster discussed how John Knox Presbyterian Church recently gained zoning approval needed by partner entities to develop a portion of the church’s land. The church has benefitted in recent years from E-Connect, or Ecumenical-Connect, a multi-year, collaborative congregational transformation program with Mid-Kentucky Presbytery as a partner to equip faith leaders and revitalize churches.

Ferguson offered the 100 or so people attending the summit some “stay in your lane” advice.

“Housing isn’t my lane, but I have learned how to do commercial development and to bring those resources into our community. We might partner with someone like Rev. Joiner to bring in housing,” she said. “Sometimes we become too diverse in what we’re trying to do.”

Joiner said establishing a relationship with political leaders is  important as well. “Don’t be afraid to recognize your shortcomings, but don’t be afraid to blow your own horn about the impact you’re having in the community,” he said.

Ferguson said the congregation has maintained the St. Peter’s name, “but we consider ourselves an emerging church finding a different way to serve the community so that we’re an active cornerstone in the community — not by name, but by action,” she said.

The city of Louisville did its part by bringing groups of investors together, she said. “We weren’t in the developer lane at that point. I would make phone calls that would go unreturned,” Ferguson said. “Once city officials asked for that meeting and brought investors into the room, that’s when we started making headway.”

“If the city has a team that can bring people to the table, it’s a big assistance to getting traction in some of these projects,” she said.

In the coming days, Presbyterian News Service will offer additional reporting on last week’s Faith-Based Development Summit.