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First Presbyterian Church

  • Original Construction: 1857

    Renovation Project Completed: 2021-2022

  • Preservation (Commercial) - Restoration of an historic commercial structure

First Presbyterian Church Renovations

View of the Front of the First Presbyterian Church and Entrance to the Sanctuary
View of the Sanctuary Before the Renovations
Start of the Sanctuary Renovations
View of the Sanctuary During the Renovations
Protecting the Floors During the Renovation
View of the Chandeliers During the Renovations
Installation of the New Organ
View of the Sanctuary After the Renovations
In Progress View of the Construction of the Chancel
Closeup View of the Choir Loft After the Renovations
In Progress View of the Restoration of the Wood Floors
View of the Restored Wood Floors
Small Library Space Prior to the Renovations
Welcome Center after the Library Transformation

About the Project

In 2021, First Presbyterian Church in Fourth Ward began extensive renovations to its main buildings, including its sanctuary, to meet the congregation’s changing needs. Located in the heart of Charlotte and originally built in 1857, the church is one of the oldest structures in the city. Set in tree-shaded park, the church is a prominent visual presence in the community and a reminder of the Gothic Revival style common for church architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries. Foundational to the recent renovations was a commitment to preserve and reuse every original element possible in the sanctuary. This meant carefully dismantling, restoring and reinstalling more than 4,000 square feet of hardwood floors and preserving all of the original decorative light fixtures, including chandeliers that were installed in 1895. Other decorative brass and crystal light fixtures were restored, along with the historic pulpit and the original 20-foot stained-glass windows, including three commissioned by Tiffany and Lamb dating back to 1895. All told, more than 90 percent of the historic interior items encountered during the renovation were successfully restored and reincorporated.

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