A 100-year-old church at 30th and Holdrege streets could be redeveloped into apartments under a plan proposed by a local architect.
The church was built in 1921 for the Epworth Methodist Episcopal congregation, which had roots in Lincoln going back to the 1880s.
Since 1969 it has been owned by the United Pentecostal Church and currently hosts The Life Church. However, its future may be as something else.
Scott Sullivan, senior principal of Erickson Sullivan architects, said he has an option to purchase the building at 2980 Holdrege St., and he's currently evaluating the feasibility of renovating the original sanctuary into about a dozen one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Sullivan said a 1962 addition on the east side of the church is "set up wonderfully" for a child care center, but he's also open to other uses, such as a community center or classroom space. He said the location, which is adjacent to Clinton Elementary School, offers a lot of possibilities.
The church building needs a lot of work, including a new roof and several new windows, in addition to the interior renovations that would be necessary to create apartment units, and Sullivan said he is still evaluating whether he can make the project work from an economic standpoint.
"Right now, I'm trying to see if this is viable," he told the Historic Preservation Commission at its monthly meeting this week.
Sullivan is seeking a local landmark designation for the building, which is necessary for him to get a special permit to redevelop the property and convert it to the uses he envisions.
The commission Thursday voted unanimously to recommend both the landmark designation and the special permit.
Commissioner Jim McKee called the church "a hidden gem," while Commissioner Greg McCown called Sullivan's proposal "a neat project."
The church sits in an area that's eligible for tax-increment financing, and Sullivan said he is considering whether to designate some of the apartment units as affordable to qualify the project for housing tax credits.