U. to buy church near campus

jSpace may be allocated for student use The University is in the process of purchasing the First Church of Christ Scientist, located at 4012 Walnut Street, Real Estate Director Chris Mason confirmed yesterday. The space inside the building, which includes a 1,200-seat main auditorium, will probably be earmarked for student use, Mason said. The University has not decided which student groups will get to use the new space. However, congregation president Mary Epstein said that in 1987, an acoustical consulting firm concluded that the church would be well-suited to house the performing arts. "It's not the traditional church edifice, it's just a beautiful space," she said. Performing Arts Council Chairperson Patrick Ede said PAC groups -- such as Mask & Wig, Without A Net and the various a cappella ensembles -- would love to have the building for performance and rehearsal use. "I think we all know how bad the situation is," Ede said, adding that PAC's efforts to obtain space in the old Eric 3 theater on 40th Street have been "going nowhere." He admitted that he is only cautiously optimistic about PAC's chances of getting the space. "I know that the administration is concerned," he said. "But we've been led along before." The deal is expected to be closed early next month, and Mason said student groups could begin using the space soon afterward. "The building won't be touched for awhile," he said. "It's a glorious building?the condition it's in requires very little renovation to be used." The University has signed an agreement with the congregation to buy the building for "under $1 million," Mason said. But he would not reveal the exact cost of the building. "It's a fair price," Mason said. "They had an appraisal done, and they realize it's a very limited market, and they agreed to sell it to the University for something less than the appraisal." The church was designed by Carriere and Hastings, an architectural firm prominent around the turn of the century that also designed the New York Public Library and New York's Penn Station, Epstein added. The church was completed in 1910, and is recognized as one of the top three ecclesiastical buildings in Philadelphia. Epstein said the University first approached the congregation about selling the church in 1987. Among congregation members, support for the idea was not unanimous so the plan was tabled. Mason said this round of negotiations began about nine months ago. Epstein would not disclose the congregation's current size, but said the building is "just too large" for it. The congregation is not disbanding because its building is being sold, said congregation member Marinell Roberts, who was working at the Christian Science Reading Room across the street from the church yesterday. Instead, she said, members will meet for Sunday services at the Christian Science Church at 1915 Pine Street in Center City. They will hold Wednesday evening "testimony meetings" at the Reading Room at 4015 Walnut Street. That space is leased from the University, Mason said. "I'm glad the University bought it," Roberts said yesterday, referring to the church building. "Our membership no longer needs the space." Both Roberts and Epstein said they are not sad that the church has been sold, despite the congregation's long history at the site. "Religion is more than a building," Epstein said.

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