The Bell Tower Stays: 87 Apartments Pitched for Columbia Heights Church Conversion

• April 7th

by UrbanTurf Staff

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Plans have been pitched to convert what once was a Methodist church in Columbia Heights into a multifamily residential building.

The development team is seeking approval to convert the former Calvary United Methodist Church at 1459 Columbia Road NW (map) into an 87-unit development.

The project, designed by Torti Gallas + Partners, calls for demolishing portions of the existing building while preserving its most architecturally significant features, including the bell tower, original interior floors and ceilings, exterior windows and walls, and roof and dormers. A seven-story addition would be constructed to the north and east of the retained church structure, keeping the historic facade along Columbia Road largely intact.

Renderings show the preserved Gothic bell tower, with the new building rising directly behind it in a contrasting but complementary palette of warm brick and lighter paneling. The 87-unit building would include a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom units, along with over 2,700 square feet of amenity space on the ground floor and Inclusionary Zoning affordable units. The development team anticipates presenting to ANC 1A this spring ahead of a public hearing before the Board of Zoning Adjustment.

If it comes to fruition, the project will join a growing number of church-to-residential conversions being pitched around the city. Below are a handful that UrbanTurf has covered recently. 

• DC Church Near White House Looks To Build 10-Story Addition
• Renderings Show 34-Unit Condo Project Planned Next To 16th Street Church
• 12-Story Micro-Unit Development Pitched For 15th Street Church

Note: A previous version of this article identified Beacon Capital as the developer. They are not associated with the development. 

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/the_bell_tower_stays_87_apartments_pitched_at_columbia_heights_church/24495.