On South Park Street near downtown Kalamazoo stands a building that sticks out amidst the many residential homes and more modern buildings that sit around it.
A sign out front shows its looking for new tenants, but what is this building?
Lynn Houghton is a Regional History Curator with Western Michigan University.
She said the structure was built in 1926, and was called the Protesting Christian Reform Church.
According to Houghton, the members had left the First Christian Reformed Church, possibly due to theological differences, hence the "Protesting" in the name.
But what stands out most about the church is just how much it doesn't look like one, with its neoclassic revival style and Greco-Roman inspired pillars more reminiscent of a courthouse than a church.
Houghton said she believes this difference in style was an intentional choice.
"I think that they wanted to shy away from the Gothic architecture and have something that they consider to be more modern," Houghton said.
"Which is ironical because you're talking about an architectural style that was around 100, 150, 200 years ago even more than that. But for them at that point, around the turn of the 20th century, I think it was considered to be more forward thinking than some of the other styles."
The church would later be renamed to the Grace Christian Reformed Church, which is still around today, just not on Park Street.
Houghton said the congregation moved out in 1988, needing more space for its members, relocating to their current location on Whites Road, leaving an empty church with no clear use.
"This building is within a local historic district. And I think that one of the biggest challenges was that, what do you do with the church building?" Houghton said.
Houghton sat on Kalamazoo's Historic District Commission at the time, and said she heard plenty of ideas of what to do with the property, but none ever fully materialized.
So, it sat empty for about 10 years, until Diekema Hamann Architects decided to move in.
"I have to say overall we were excited and very ecstatic when they stepped forward and were interested in it. We had no idea, not having been in this space, what they would have to do," Houghton said.
“They did everything perfect, in the sense of what they had to do because when you look at the tax credits they have to qualify for. When you look at a building that is in a local historic district, there are certain steps that you have to take."
Valerie Wright is Diekema Hamann’s President and CEO, and was with the firm at that time.
"When we came into the space, I would say it was fairly well maintained for something that had been vacant for 10 years. It was more of a situation with, I'd say, maybe the bats had enjoyed this space so we had a lot of guano we had to clean up," Wright said.
"Some of the south stained glass windows where it looked like maybe kids had lobbed like a rock through or something like that."
She said the firm planned to renovate the building and converted the interior into office space, all while maintaining its historic integrity. This would be a challenge, but Wright said it was one that changed Diekema Hamann for the better.
"When you can take on a project like this and see the possibility and creativity, it's inspiring, but it's also aspirational," Wright said.
“You're thinking, okay, I can do this, then I can do this for other clients. I can think big, clients can be here and meet here and think larger than themselves. So it's not only inspiring you, it's inspiring your clients as well.”
When completed, the project won a number of awards, including Michigan Historic Preservation Network Building Award.
But, like the congregation before them, Wright said the firm has grown too big for the space and plans to move out by the end of the year.
However, she said there are things she'll miss.
"Space can change you, right? And I think because, for me, I think about it holistically. Not just the elements of it, but the feeling of being here for that change and thinking about possibility," Wright said.
"It's been a gathering place for not just Diekema Hamann architecture, but other people in the community and so that's such a strong heart-home that you carry that with you wherever you go."
It isn’t clear yet who will occupy the church next, but Lynn Houghton said she’s hopeful the next tenants will also be changed by the space.
“Whoever, wisely I should say, chooses to come here that they experience the same feeling that Diekema Hamann did when they are working here, that it is a true inspiration.”
