“These old buildings do not belong to us only…they have belonged to our forefathers and they will belong to our descendants unless we play them false. They are not…our property, to do as we like with.” - William Morris 1889.
Sacred buildings play an essential role in their community. They define our neighborhood history, are an important source of our artistic patrimony and provide critical space for many local social services, in addition to their religious impacts. Yet these historic buildings are increasingly susceptible to decline, loss and change. The Issue is about the Methodist church being demolished to occupy a drug store. Memphis City Council approved a CVS drug store at Union Ave and Cooper St. It would mean the demolition of the Methodist church which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The council also approved an amendment calling on the developers of the store to get as close as they can in their plans to requirements of the advisory Midtown overlay. The two exceptions to that are not allowing a drive through window for the pharmacy and how far from the street the building can be. The zoning plan has not yet been adopted by the council.
Historic buildings are irreplaceable, and contain information about the past that is available from no other source. The Methodist church was built in 1923. The 10- 2 decisions at a meeting on 24th of August rejected the earlier verdict by the city's Office of Planning and Development, as well as its Land Use Control Board said the preservationnation magazine on 3rd of September. This was opposed by the preservation non-profit, Memphis Heritage. The Preservation groups say the project not only destroys a piece of Memphis history, but also goes against an agreement that a major national drugstore chains, including CVS, made in 2000 with the National Trust for Historic Preservation not to demolish any National Register-listed buildings to make way for new stores. It was also opposed by the Methodist church officials, the several Midtown neighbourhood groups and Playhouse on the Square, which occupies another corner at Union and Cooper.
The Union Avenue church's cantilevered center porticos, Ionic columns of limestone, and arched windows were the work of local architects like John Gaisford, who designed the church's education building in 1914 and Hubert Thomas McGhee, who was hired to create the sanctuary in 1921. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. At the time of its zenith in around mid-1950s, the church had about 3,000 members. In addition to maintaining a pulsating Sunday School and music program, Union Avenue United Methodist believed in ministering to the local community and to the world.
The building's smooth red brick and Bedford stone trim exhibited power and affection. Its copper faced dome and ornamental lantern gave a exclusive top to the structure. The church remains one of the most notable examples of classical revival architecture in Memphis.
The CVS developer argues that the demolition of the church and construction of a drug store in that area would bring in employment opportunities. But isn’t this a prediction of just few more months and not in terms of broader vision into the future of the neighbourhood? The opening of a drug store would close down other one or two drug stores on the Union and thus considerable amount of jobs would be lost.
The Memphis City Council has voted to approve the sale, although a local judge will hear a final legal challenge on Dec. 16. They should definitely reconsider their decision to abandon this historic landmark. Since, most importantly, the building contributes to the authentic character of Memphis. It remains one of the few structures that still stand from the early 20th century history of Union Avenue.
Data Courtesy: The Memphis heritage Foundation
Image Courtesy: www.trinitymemphis.org
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