First United Methodist Church of Iowa City plans to buy property where Pop's BBQ stands
Members of the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City voted to buy the property where Pop’s BBQ is located.
The congregation voted after worship service Sunday, with 64 of the 69 votes cast in favor of the purchase.
The purchase is part of First United Methodist Church’s three-year capital campaign that began in October.
The Uncommon Faith capital campaign seeks to expand the church’s ministries and missions into the community. Among the three goals the capital campaign outlines is the purchase of Pop’s BBQ’s lot at 130 N. Dubuque St.
More: Where will you vote for the next decade? Iowa City considering three maps for new precincts
The Rev. Barrie Tritle of First United Methodist Church told the Press-Citizen that the next step will be to buy the property, which is a block north of the church. The church's Board of Trustees and the Finance Committee will determine the timing of the sale; they have until early March to execute the option on the property, according to Tritle.
Tritle said that Pop’s BBQ’s lease will be honored.
“We have no urgency to have anyone to leave,” he said.
At Sunday’s meeting, it was stated that the purchase of Pop’s BBQ’s lot is to extend ministries in the community. More immediately, the church will continue to use some of that lot for parking for Sunday morning services as part of a current agreement.
About 19 years ago, the property where Pop’s BBQ now stands became available for sale, but First United Methodist Church was unable to purchase it, Tritle said.
The Wesley Foundation entered into an agreement with Patricia Lenoch, who was the owner and legal titleholder of a “6,000 square foot property at 130 N. Dubuque St” as early as 2003, according to Press-Citizen archives. That agreement was facilitated by the Welsey Foundation Executive Director Paul Shultz and board chair Jane Driscoll.
That agreement included an option to purchase the 130 N. Dubuque St. property when Lenoch died. According to the Johnson County Recorder's office, that agreement was executed in 2003.
Lenoch died in September.
That option to purchase was transferred to the First United Methodist Church when it purchased Wesley Center’s property in 2019, Tritle said.
Currently, the church has 111 pledges toward its capital campaign, resulting in $1,655,622, according to Tritle.
More: Johnson County will require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine or get tested for the virus weekly
Beyond the purchase of Pop’s BBQ, the capital campaign details upgrades to the church, including new paint for the ceiling and walls as well as new flooring, which will cost $250,000. The other plan listed in the capital campaign is to retire the debt of the Wesley Center and Geiger House, an estimated cost of $1 million.
According to First United Methodist Church’s detailed brochure on the capital campaign, the many occupants of the Wesley Center have “paid for the ongoing debt of the structure” but “having those tenants does not allow for the church to grow into that space.”
Tenants at the Wesley Center include the LGBTQ Archives and Library, The ArtiFactory and the University of Iowa union Campaign to Organize Graduate Students.
First United Methodist Church’s building committee will begin discussions in January to determine how the Pop’s BBQ and Wesley Center properties will be developed.
Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: First United Methodist Church to buy Pop's BBQ property
