Decatur Presbyterian Church
Established in 1825, Decatur Presbyterian Church is a historic cornerstone of the City of Decatur and is listed as a contributing property in the Old Decatur Historic District. In the fall of 2015, the Church embarked on a Master Plan to transform the historic urban site to an openly diverse campus for the surrounding community. Construction began in June 2017 and was completed by Christmas the same year. As a result, a new circulation path was created to connect the Sanctuary to the Fellowship Hall through glass corridors. The rehabilitation also added new accessible elevators and sensitively placed new doors into existing masonry openings to complement the historic character of the buildings. This rehabilitation project was able to preserve historic features while reconfiguring the site to provide accessibility and to open their doors – literally and figuratively – to the broader Decatur community for all to enjoy. This project also demonstrates how aging historic churches everywhere can adapt and continue to grow in the present and for the future.
Excellence in Rehabilitation Awards recognize projects that make compatible use of a building through repair, alterations or additions while preserving features of the property that convey its historic value.
