PITTSBURGH — Members of the congregation at Albright United Methodist Church in Shadyside voiced their concerns about the building being purchased and turned into a space for commercial development at a public hearing Thursday morning.
Pittsburgh-based real estate firm Ross Development Co. is planning to buy the building and build it into a retail space that includes a Starbucks with a drive-thru.
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The congregation stopped using the 109-year-old building as a place of worship almost two years ago.
The congregation moved from the building because of water damage to the sanctuary and could not afford to keep up the current condition of the building, David Barton, the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference's attorney, told Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE.
The Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference was able to take ownership of the building after it was recognized as abandoned.
Services have been held on the church’s lawn to raise awareness about the plans for the property.
The congregation has also been working with Preservation Pittsburgh, a nonprofit advocacy organization, to learn more about the building's history, according to TribLIVE.
Concerns voiced at the meeting were focused on the amount of traffic that more retail space and a drive-thru would create on a road that is already busy.
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Anthony Ross, of Ross Development Co., said the company has no comment until the hearing is over.
WPXI
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