Former churches are finding new life after religious calling

Nov. 26—Jason Fitzpatrick has one primary requirement for his living arrangements: space, lots of it.

"I lived in an old gymnasium in Chicago, and that inspired me to buy a church," Fitzpatrick said. "I'm a little claustrophobic, so I've always loved big spaces. The gym was 4,000 square feet, and I got addicted to large spaces."

After a monthslong search in the Pittsburgh region, Fitzpatrick found that the former Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Leechburg checked all the boxes. He and his husband, Thomas Murphy, bought it and its parsonage.

The couple relocated from Chicago in June and today operate the Old Parsonage Bed & Breakfast in downtown Leechburg.

"It's a total dream to live in a church," Fitzpatrick said. "We looked at churches for sale in Duquesne, McKeesport and a synagogue in New Castle. My whole goal was to buy a church or a bed and breakfast, and I found both."

Former churches are ending up on the real estate market — and ultimately being repurposed as restaurants, wineries, residences and more — as congregations shrink and churches close.

According to a 2022 study by the Pew Research Center, 57% of Americans did not attend church or watch a religious service online. In a 2019 Gallup poll, 53% of participants said they did not belong to a church or synagogue.

At least 33 former religious buildings were on the real estate market in Pennsylvania as recently as this month, with 10 such buildings available in Allegheny County.

Listing agent Jake Vogel of Hanna Langholz Wilson Ellis said he has sold numerous former religious buildings in the Pittsburgh area over the past three years. He said he has seen a "steady amount" of former churches for sale around the region.

"These churches are really unique properties," he said. "We've sold buildings where the sanctuary was repurposed into a fitness club, another sanctuary was transformed into a place to store old cars, and sometimes you get a lot of interest from other religious organizations — churches that want to expand and have a sanctuary.

"Unfortunately, I would not expect this current pattern to change in the next five years or so."

'God is good'

Business owner Toni Bazala bought the former Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland County in Greensburg with plans for a dance studio, Pazaz Christian Dance Academy.

The church had relocated to a nearby shopping plaza, creating an opportunity for Bazala.

"I have always wanted to have my studio in a church because we're a Christian group," she said.

Renovations of the brick building that dates to 1896 focused on the former sanctuary. The social hall was converted into three dance halls.

"We pretty much gutted the sanctuary and sold the altar and pews to the public. We kept the original pipe organ, gutted the inside pipes and gifted them to a family friend, and now the organ is dressing room. It's so beautiful. It's my favorite feature," she said. "Being that we're a Christian group, people thought it was fantastic, and the dancers are in the former sanctuary."

Bazala paid $175,000 for the building in 2016, what she called a good deal on the historic structure.

"I'm thriving and able to make my mortgage payments, and God is good," Bazala. "We use every inch of the building."

Heating bills are pricey, Bazala said, but it's worth every penny.

"The sanctuary is two stories, but I don't care because we get all the dancers in there dancing and it warms up pretty quickly," she said.

Church to apartments?

St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church in Springdale went on the market this year, a victim of the decision to close some churches that were part of the Guardian Angels parish.

Vogel is one of the listing agents for St. Alphonsus — asking price $775,000 — and said the old church has attracted interest from potential apartment developers. The listing includes the former church, a rectory/convent and a school with 17 classrooms.

The closure and sale of a former church can carry emotional baggage for parishioners.

Ilona Wilkosz of Allegheny Township grew up one street away from the church.

"I was 18 when I got married in St. Alphonsus. I have happy memories and sad memories there," said Wilkosz, 72, who attended funerals there for her father, Henry Hrabos Sr., and brother, Henry "Buzzy" Hrabos Jr. "Of course, (I'm) sad it's for sale, but I would prefer to see it used as something else rather than it be torn down. It would make a good venue or school, definitely because you have a multitude of rooms."

Diana Borland of Cheswick was baptized at St. Al's and was a lifelong member until the church closed in 2022. She became emotional talking about it.

"I would like to see it remain a church because it's too beautiful," Borland said. "I have a lot of emotions because my faith is very strong and my ties to St. Al's are very strong. I think it's like a death."

Borland said she is not following the progress of the sale because it makes her "too sad."

"The feeling when I used to walk through the doors — I left the church for a while and then came back to my church, and, for me, that was home," she said.

'Carrying that tradition on'

Realtor Janet Czekalski purchased the former Free Methodist Church in Harrison in the 1970s, when it was unusual to purchase a former religious building and even less common to repurpose it, she said.

"We didn't pay a whole lot for it, but we decided we were going to use it for a business," Czekalski said.

Her husband, Wally Czekalski, was drawn to the openness and high ceilings of the structure, perfect for his kitchen and bath business, she said.

"We added a parking lot, and it was a lot of work. It looks like a church from the outside, but it's all changed inside," Czekalski said.

Danielle's Hair Salon now occupies the space originally renovated by the Czekalskis, and owner Danielle Rotto of Allegheny Township said she's happy to have her business in what was once a holy place.

"It might not look anything like a church today, but to me a church is a place to feel supported, safe and to socialize with others," Rotto said. "That's exactly what we do here in our salon, as well. I feel like I'm carrying that tradition on."

Czekalski Real Estate has sold several former churches over the decades. The uptick in religious buildings available on the market appears to be a trend, Czekalski said.

"These churches years ago were a social event," she said. "That was social and spiritual for people, and now they socialize elsewhere."

'I was just in awe'

Jeff Pollick of Allegheny Township purchased the former First Lutheran Church in Vandergrift in 2015. The former church dates to 1896.

"I was just in awe with the structure itself, and I was looking for a year-round location for a second winery," he said.

Pollick, owner of Wooden Door Winery in Allegheny Township, opened that second location in 2017 in the former church.

"The architecture with all of the stone was appealing. It's nice to hear when I do have customers that attended church here talk about the respect kept for the church here, and that was important to me," said Pollick, who saved numerous original furnishings, including the stained-glass windows.

Owning a former church can be expensive, he said.

"My utilities here are outrageous with the vaulted ceilings," Pollick said. "In the winter, just the gas bill alone is $1,300 to $1,500 a month, and that's just being open three days a week — and that doesn't include electric."

Still, having a winery in a former church makes for a memorable experience for his patrons, he said.

"I absolutely love it," Pollick said. "I wanted a wow factor when people came in with a chandelier that holds 886 empty wine bottles. I've got that."

Bell tower included

Most couples can't claim to have a bell tower on their home.

But Michelle Hills of Lawrenceville and her husband, Michael, know all about turning a religious space into a residence, bell tower included.

The couple purchased and restored the former St. John German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lawrenceville, which was dedicated in 1897.

But buying a former church in 2002 didn't go over well with everyone, the couple said.

"Our parents thought, 'Are you crazy? Why would you want to live in a church?' " Michelle Hills said. "We had mixed reactions. A lot of our friends thought it was cool, but a lot of people thought it was weird. It was just about having a unique space to make for an interesting home, and nobody was really doing anything like that back then."

The couple lived there for more than a decade before selling the loft, as they called it, and building a modern home in Lawrenceville.

Michelle Hills recalled an adjustment period to loft living among about 5,000 square feet of space that included soaring ceilings and original stained-glass windows.

"We just had all this overhead space. It felt like being out in the open," she said. "When we first moved in, we couldn't sleep because we were, like, 'Where was the ceiling?' "

They installed a lightning rod after lightning struck the bell tower twice.

A box-framed original 1950s paper fan from a church service is a cherished keepsake from the restoration process. It was discovered by a contractor while ripping out wood.

"I think it's great that old buildings are being repurposed," Michelle Hills said.

New beginnings

Prices for former churches can vary greatly.

The former St. Bartholomew Parish and Catholic School in Penn Hills closed in 2017 and has been on the market since August 2022. According to the listing, the almost 8-acre campus includes a church, convent and school building with gymnasium. The asking price is $1 million.

In East Deer, Holy Family Parish is listed for $195,000. The property offers more than 17,700 square feet of space, a rectory/convent and parking lot. The former parish, which is being sold "as is," has been on the market since March.

In Apollo, the lettering on the faded sign outside the former First Reformed Church, most recently known as First United Church of Christ, stands weathered and faded. Listing agent Vance Booher of Greensburg said the property is under contract. It was listed for $120,000.

"We listed it on Aug. 9 and fielded offers the first week," he said. "I can't reveal the name, but it will remain a church, a small Bible church that's looking to grow. They sort of fell in love with the interior."

It's rewarding to see a former church get another chance at serving a congregation, Booher said.

"I'm happy this young, growing church that's been meeting in a basement somewhere will have a new church," he said. "They're not a mainstream church, and I think you're seeing a whole lot of growth of that these days.

"Oftentimes, it is a hard sell because without a lot of money, creativity and support from people who know what they're doing, it's difficult. It's tough to take that and create something different."

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .