First Baptist Church seeks to become a developer
Just across the street to the south of the Colorado state Capitol, the First Baptist Church has existed since 1864, over 25 years before the capitol was built. Today, like many urban churches it sees its mission and realities changing.
"How do we continue to be viable in a time and in a place where honestly, folks are not flocking to faith communities as they once did decades ago?" said its pastor, the Reverend Dr. Brian Henderson.
The church is looking at tough financial realities and seeing opportunities at the same time.
"Not just an answer, but the answer," said Kenton Kuhn, the property chairman for the church.
First Baptist owns a large parking lot to its rear, which was acquired in the 1950s. At the time there were two apartment buildings on it. They were torn down in the 1960s. But now, the church sees the lot as an option to sustain itself instead of being a drain.
"The property value of the parking lot has continued to go up which means our property taxes have continued to go up," said Dr. Henderson.
Parking is a rare thing at inner-city churches. Sundays are usually days when there are available spaces for churchgoers. The church is proposing housing in the parking lot. Not just affordable housing, but housing for a profit.
The church is taking the City of Denver a proposal for 12 stories of housing on the lot. That would be 198 units. Twenty percent would be "affordable housing" for people who make less than 60% of the median income in Denver, which is currently about $80,000. The city requires 10% of housing in such developments be affordable.
"Well, we do have to make the numbers but obviously since we're a church we felt pretty strongly," said Kuhn about going beyond the minimum.
The church is working with an architect and builder. Ultimately the church however would control the property.
"In an urban setting like this, we have to be creative and entrepreneurial to figure out how do we continue to be a viable faith community," said Dr. Henderson.
"It's not like the pastor and I will be driving Bentleys all of a sudden. It's not ours. That money will go back in to continue the good works of the church," said Kuhn.
The church does many programs that benefit the community around it. It has used its basement as a homeless shelter at times through the years. It was part of a faith-based effort to house homeless women before the pandemic, filling the role several days a month. During COVID it participated in a pilot program called "Safe Outdoor Space," which had a portion of the parking lot being used to temporary tents to house women and transgender people.
"We've got to be able to do more than just provide a space for folk an hour a week to sit in the pews and to experience something of inspiration and hope."
The number of members of First Baptist has gone from the 1,200 range in the 1950s to 118 today. The church also sees the needs of the church members and the community around it changing.
"We're not just here to exist for Sunday mornings. We're here to meet the felt needs of individuals, Monday through Saturday and on Sunday," said Dr. Henderson.
The plans will have to make it through city and Landmark Preservation Commission review. The proposed height of 12 stories would be below steeple height, but higher than surrounding buildings, with the exception of the state Capitol. The church would like to start construction in about a year. Meantime, the taxes continue to pile up on the parking lot.
"It allows us to ensure that the future of this congregation will be a strong one," said Dr. Henderson. "And we'll be positioned in a way that we'll be able to continue to support Denver residents and our city of large."
