Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist (Seattle, Washington)

Infobox Historic building


caption=Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist
name=Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist
location_town=2555 8th Avenue West

Seattle, Washington
location_country=United States
architect=Harlan Thomas of Thomas, Grainger and Thomas
client=Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist
engineer=
construction_start_date=
completion_date=1926
date_demolished=
cost=
structural_system=
style=Neo-Byzantine, Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial|

The former Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 2555 8th Avenue, West (corner of West Halladay Street) in the Queen Anne Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, is an historic Christian Science church edifice. Built in 1926, it was designed by noted Seattle architect Harlan Thomas in the Neo-Byzantine, Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial styles. It consists of two parts joined together to form an ell: the 2-story main section containing the church auditorium {the term Christian Scientists use instead of sanctuary) [Charles Draper Faulkner, AIA, "Christian Science Church Edifices", second edition, Chicago: self-published, 1946, p. 209] and a one story wing containing the Sunday School. The main section is square but each corner has been "flattened to form an irregular octagon. [ [http://www.qahistory.org/church/index.html Queen Anne Historical Society page on Seventh Church] ] [ [http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/historicalsite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=-1635827324 City of Seattle historic site listing] ]

Due to declining membership and increased costs of maintaining the property, Seventh Church decided to sell the property in the late 1980s, but had no offers until 2006 when a developer offered to buy the property for redevelopment if the church could obtain a demolition permit from the city. The city did issue the permit in February 2007, but when neighbors appealed, a hearing examiner sent the permit back for further review. The property was then put on the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "Most Endangered Historic Properties" and the Queen Anne Historical Society spearheaded community efforts to find a buyer willing to preserve the property. The Seattle Church of Christ, a congregation of approximately 270, had looked at the property previously but had felt the then $2 million plus price was out its reach. With the price reduced to $1.6 million and Seventh Church agreeing to take a low down payment and to provide short term financing, Seattle Church of Christ was able to close on the property on August 31, 2007. [ [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/329868_church01.html Seattle Post-Intelligencer August 31, 2007 article on sale] ] [ [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20070901&slug=qachurch01m Seattle Times September 1, 2007 article on sale] ] [ [http://www.qahistory.org/church/index.html Queen Anne Historical Society page on Seventh Church] ] [ [http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/historicalsite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=-1635827324 City of Seattle historic site listing] ]

Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist is now located at 1261 Madison Street in Seattle. Seattle Church of Christ has made short term improvements to shore up the property and has long range plans to restore it. [ [http://another100years.com/Procurement_Letter.htm Another 100 Years] ]

ee also

*List of former Christian Science churches, societies and buildings

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/historicalsite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=-1635827324 City of Seattle historic site listing]
* [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003315591_qachurch21m.html Seattle Times October 21, 2006 - Seventh Church to be demolished]
* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/329868_church01.html Seattle Post-Intelligencer August 31, 2007 article on sale]
* [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20070901&slug=qachurch01m Seattle Times September 1, 2007 article on sale]
* [http://www.qahistory.org/church/index.html Queen Anne Historical Society page on Seventh Church]
* [http://another100years.com/Procurement_Letter.htm Another 100 Years]