Churches and factories reclaimed for residential, commercial purposes

Buildings that have a special purpose, such as for a church, synagogue or outdated factory, often present distinctive opportunities for a creative reuse of the property.

With the decline of organized religion, congregations sometimes shut their doors or collaborate to share space with other groups to stay in place. And with the industrial decline seen in pockets in the region, many big factories and mills sat abandoned or underused for years.

Rather than letting these structures stay dark for decades, they can be converted for new, vibrant uses such as luxury apartments or commercial space. Often, with their high ceilings, arched doorways and oversized windows, the buildings offer attractive options for reuse.

“They present challenges, but they also present opportunities,” said Tammy Mitgang, sales and leasing consultant with NAI Keystone Commercial & Industrial LLC in Wyomissing. “They present some challenges because they are special purpose, so we have to rethink how they are used. It’s a time when all of us have to rethink our spaces.”

If these buildings are not “rethought,” they will sit empty and deteriorate, she added.

Having many large, empty buildings not only drags down property values, but weakens the economic fabric of communities, affecting everything from crime levels to whether or not businesses decide to leave or stay.

Mitgang said she gets calls every few weeks from churches and congregations starting to have conversations about what they should do as membership shrinks.

In some cases, the owners can sell the building or find a way to share space with another organization to preserve the structure, she said.

“It’s a little outside the normal real estate transaction business,” Mitgang said. “All of us in the community can work together to figure out the best use of these buildings. I’ve worked in the nonprofit community for about 25 years; these projects are very near and dear to my heart.”

While areas such as downtown Reading have vacant houses of worship, these structures also are in outlying areas of the city and beyond and also need help, she said.