We always like to see a building reused rather than torn down and replaced with new construction. That's why we were so excited last summer when we learned that the Vineyard Community Church was purchasing a former church at 123 S. 51st St. which was originally a fire department second responders building. We told you all about their efforts to turn the building into a worship space and community center.

In the past

Finished product

The changes on the outside seem relatively minor, as the fake stone on the facade has been replaced by new stucco. Additionally, a door has been eliminated, some windows have turned into doors and new glass doors have replaced the six panel doors we saw previously. Inside, the church has brought the building up to code, added conference rooms, created a new worship space, and established a large space that can accommodate 200 but can be broken down into smaller rooms for meetings and such. 

Previously, the church was renting space in the Spruce Hill Christian School on the 4100 block of Baltimore Avenue. And while their new home is pretty far away and off a major commercial corridor, it's surely nice for them to have a place all to themselves. And it's surely nice for the neighborhood that this old building has been preserved and reused, ostensibly for decades to come.