Iowa City Unitarian Universalist Church board approves applying for demo permit

IOWA CITY - The oversight board of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City has officially voted to pursue demolition of the congregation's 107-year-old church.

The society's board of trustees voted Thursday - with the seven present members of the nine-member board voting unanimously - to approve the Facilities Committee's recommendation to apply for a demolition permit for the church at 10 S. Gilbert St.

Adam Ingersoll, member of the board, said the vote, as well as the society's announcement of intentions earlier this month, have spurred interest in the property, which could be heading toward a public/private partnership.

'We feel like we're gaining momentum, the announcement a week or two ago of our intent to tackle the historic landmark designation kind of jump-started the process,” Ingersoll said. 'Discussions with those prospective buyers is now moving forward, whereas before they kind of stalled.”

Ingersoll said selecting a partner and signing a purchase agreement could take place soon.

'We will then work together to take a proposal to the city that would incorporate their adjacent parking lot and our property in a mixed-use project,” he said in an email, 'We believe there are creative possibilities that would be respectful of the neighborhood and valuable to the city while also meeting the investment requirements of a developer.”

That said, Ingersoll added that this process doesn't necessarily guarantee demolition.

'It isn't out of the question that a mixed-use project could incorporate saving the UUSIC sanctuary building, if all parties were to work closely together,” he said.

Church officials said earlier this month that rumors of area residents' plans to file a historic landmark designation application for the church had potential buyers reluctant to close a deal, namely because landmark designation would reduce the site's value for redevelopment by as much as $2 million.

The congregation voted in late 2013 to not pursue renovations to the existing church, and again last month to sell the property and move. Both votes received considerable support from the congregation.

As of Friday, neither an application for a demolition permit nor a historic landmark designation application had been received by the city.

Demolition permits are valid for 180 days, with an option for renewal, said John Yapp, development services coordinator.

If a historic landmark application is filed, a 60-day moratorium on any demolition would be enacted after the Iowa City Council schedules a public hearing on the matter.

However, Ingersoll said he doesn't believe such a landmark application would be successful.

'We and our buyers are now fairly confident that historical landmark dedication, if filed for, would not stick,” he said.