Former church converted to homes

Normally, the conversion of a historic church into a dozen condo units wouldn't be something to celebrate, but the new housing at 2 Francis St. serves as an exception to that rule.

The Hampton Park Baptist Church was built in 1915 at 981 King St., and thrived in its early years, ultimately expanding when a larger 6,700-square-foot church was erected next door at 2 Francis St.

That expansion came in 1942 and in June 1949, the church unveiled an even more ambitious plans to tear down its original building and build two new additions to create a U-shaped campus opening on Francis Street.

This never came to pass.

Only four months later, the church's minister had a member arrested during a service when he tried to make an announcement.

The Rev. W.O. Kersey later told The Evening Post, "I wish I could erase from my memory the disgraceful scene of last Sunday evening, when faction members broke up the observance of the Lord's Supper. I know the Lord is not pleased with that."

The congregational rift — which was splashed across the pages of several newspaper editions — probably played far less of a role in the church's decline than the changing neighborhood did. Membership remained at about 400 in the 1960s, then gradually fell off.

Not long after Hurricane Hugo struck in 1989, Hampton Park Baptist shut its doors for good.

The property was sold. Its original sanctuary was converted into a costume shop.

The larger church building at 2 Francis St. fell into decline. At one point, subsequent owners sold off its large stained-glass windows.

By the time Charleston Development Co. bought the building, one of the only signs of its original use was the subtle brick cross detailing above the front door, chief operating officer Bob Holt says.

Holt says he wanted to give the property a new mission: to provide affordable housing for working people downtown, and the conversion should be finished by early next year.

The mostly one-bedroom units range from 600 square feet to a little more than 900 square feet. Each has its own separate entrance, parking space and natural lighting from the church's original large rectangular window openings.

"We tried to maintain the façade of it," Holt says.

This is housing for young professionals, and not just because of its price tag (the units are priced between $170,000 and $250,000).

Most every unit has a spiral metal staircase — a chic feature for those with younger legs (one unit is even split between the building's first and third floor).

"It's different, but every unit is different," Holt says.

The project's design, worked out with several architects and engineers and with Holt's brother, George Holt, also includes wooden fireplaces in each unit, ceilings between 8 and 20 feet and exposed beam ceilings.

It also includes wooden doors and staggered stud walls that provide soundproofing between the units, most of which offer a nice view.

The original tall rectangular openings are kept, though a wooden band shows the break between floors.

Were this a more significant work of sacred architecture, such as the city's New Tabernacle Fourth Baptist Church, it would be an abomination to carve it up into lofts or offices.

But for a building that never resembled much more than a handsome warehouse, preserving it by converting it into new homes is not so different from the kind of adaptive reuse that has saved so many of Charleston's buildings, buildings worth keeping even though they never boasted much architectural merit in their own right.

Robert Behre may be reached at 937-5771 or by fax at 937-5579. His e-mail address is rbehre@postandcourier.com, and his mailing address is 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403.