County To Seek Grant To Study Former Downtown Church For A Multi-Use Art Space

While the past of the former First Christian Church building in downtown Warsaw stretches back over a hundred years, its future could be art.
The county has owned the building for at least the last 17 years. Currently, the Extension offices are located in the office area of the building and 4-H uses it for meetings and programs.
Suzie Light, Main Street Warsaw Board member, accompanied by Terry Sweeney, Main Street Warsaw director of development, said, “We’re asking the commissioners to submit a request letter for grant funds from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation to fund a phase 1 of a market update and business planning study, SRKM Architects design work and project cost estimation to convert the county-owned church at 202 W. Main St. into a multi-use art space.”
Design Collaborative recently completed an architectural assessment of the church and priority repairs are needed in excess of $1 million to stabilize the historic building that is over 100 years old, Light stated.
“The study will enable the county, along with community partners, to obtain critical information that is required to submit a grant to Lilly Endowment READI Culture Grant Portal, which will close applications on April 15. The potential funding could be obtained to allow this historic structure to be saved and turned into a community cultural asset that has been envisioned in the recent Warsaw Cultural Arts District Plan,” she said.
The request to the commissioners was urgent due to the April 15 deadline for the grant and the fact that phase 1, architectural work, will take 30 days to complete. She said the grant application portal just opened up and they have a deadline to face.
Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell said, “I just think this is a great opportunity for the county to have information provided for them with no charge so that we can move forward, trying to make good decisions, based on the financial impact it could have, wherever it falls.”
She made a motion to approve supporting Light’s request, Commissioner Cary Groninger seconded the motion and it passed 3-0.