Phoenix City Council last week approved a rezoning that allows a 77-year-old church to be sold and replaced with an apartment building, on the condition that a few of the church’s key architectural elements on the façade facing the street be preserved.
Some community members wanted the church’s entire sanctuary building to be preserved as an historic building. However, many Mercy Hill Church members, including pastors, spoke in favor of the sale, saying upkeep of the aging building had become too costly and the sale would allow them to continue their ministry at a location across the street.
Skylar Cook, with the church, said officials were in a constant tug of war between taking care of the building and taking care of their community outreach.
