NEWS

Adaptive Use is Former Church’s Saving Grace

Previously threatened with demolition, Phillips Temple in Indianapolis survives thanks to
preservation advocacy and creative reuse.

Phillips Temple, Indianapolis
Phillips Temple, a former African American church in Indianapolis, reopened in September as Temple Lofts apartments.

A House of Worship Reborn

As a historic house of worship, Phillips Temple C.M.E Church in Indianapolis has faced its fair share of challenges — abandonment, deterioration and – more than once – the threat of demolition. Knowing how close the landmark came to being lost, celebrating its $3.8 million rehabilitation and adaptive reuse by Van Rooy Properties is even more meaningful.

Located at 1226 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street in the National Register-listed Flanner House Homes Historic District, Phillips Temple was constructed in 1924 to house an African American congregation, one that eventually grew to include 2,000 members. The building’s main facade is defined by a grand classical portico, with a gabled pediment supported by four elegant columns. A gilded dome at the center of the roof originally crowned the spacious sanctuary.

The church held services at Phillips Temple until 1992, when it sold the building to another congregation. In 2011, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) bought the building and allowed the congregation to remove stained glass windows and original pews, diminishing the structure’s character and design.

In 2013, IPS announced plans to raze Phillips Temple to expand a parking lot at Crispus Attucks High School across the street. The threat earned the building a spot on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered List. With support from allies including City-County Councillor Vop Osili and neighborhood advocate Disa Watson Summers, we intervened to stop demolition and called on IPS to find a preservation-minded buyer who could return the property to the tax rolls and restore it to productive use.

In August 2015, IPS sold Phillips Temple to Van Rooy Properties, which took on the formidable rehabilitation challenge. The building’s years of vacancy and deferred maintenance had taken a toll: water poured through the leaky roof, and the front staircase had crumbled. Van Rooy met the difficulties head on, transforming the former house of worship into 18 market-rate apartments. Van Rooy is also constructing a second building behind the Temple, adding another 24 units. Acknowledging its history, the development has been named Temple Lofts.

The rebirth of Phillips Temple is a testament to the power of preservation advocacy and creative vision. Today, the renovated building commands the street once again. Although its function has changed dramatically since its construction, the Temple’s continued presence is a powerful reminder of African American heritage in Indianapolis.

To learn more about the project, contact Mark Dollase, Vice President of Preservation Services, 317-639-4534, mdollase@indianalandmarks.org. For more information about Temple Lofts, visit http://www.templeloftsindy.com.

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