Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1909-03-06


In architecture, namely, a skyscraper
and church, the latest of all ideas in
building construction. But there is
method in Pittsburg's madness" for
having been blocked for many years
by the clause placed in his land grant
by William Penn, setting forth that
the property must always be used for
church purposes" the congregation
Of the First German Evangelical Prot
estant church has evolved the above
scheme. 1t has been decided, there
fore, that a building which shall COM
bine church and office building, which
will serve for worship and at the same
time put revenue into the Golfers of
the congregation.
The auditorium and dome of the
church are to be buried inside ID
stories of business Offices and stores,
only the gothic arches, the wide doors,
and the chimes showing on the side of
the building. All about the church and
above it will be piled mass of Of
fees architecturally distinctive, as the
business part of the building is to be
of renaissance architecture and the
church gothic.
1t is the purpose of the congrega-
ton to make it's valuable property at
Sixth and Smithfield streets yield a
profitable return and at the same time
retain the property for church pur-
poses. 1t was specified in the deed
given by William Penn that the land
should be so used. 1t could therefore
not be sold except to another church,
which would hardly be a profitable
sale. AT the same time it seemed nee
essary that the church should get
more return from its land which is
centrally located and which has been
often sought after by big department
stores. A church was built on the site
125 years ago, torn down and replaced
by another, then another, then by the
present structure, which was erected
in 1877. Sentimental reasons. there
fore. further persuaded the congrega-
ton that they did not want to leave
the site.
To overcome the difficulty, Eugene
c. +. Ernst, an architect and a mem,
Der of various church committees,
drew his plans for the unique building
and laid them before the people. He
said the cost would be about $780,,
900, but that a corporation could
easily be formed to furnish the funds
and that it would prove a paying in
vestment.
There was surprisingly little oppo-
sition from the conservatives, and ii
seems to be generally understood that
the plan will go through. 1t is planned
for the structure to face on Smith
field street 240 feet, extending back
to Strawberry alley. 1t will be in
three S0-foot sections, the two outside
for commercial purposes and the CEN
trail one for the church, up to the
height of that edifice, and then more
office floors above to the top story. A
great clock, with a 10foot face, Will be
placed at the sixth story, and above
this a set of chimes in a specially
constructed bell chamber.
On the fourteenth floor is to be a
great assembly hall, 240x110 feet.
with a plaster facade built round a
light we'll On special occasions the
light well could be closed at the floor
and ceiling lines by mechanical roll
ing devices, the windows surrounding
the light court being thus transferred
into an open plaster balcony. The eff
feet would be one large auditorium
with an open inner court.
The basement will be for CONNER
cial purposes, and sub-basement will
hold the power plant. An arcade ex-
tending from Sixth avenue TO Smith
field street will admit to the Office and
store sections. The entrances will
lead into the commercial part of the
building as well as into the church.
On the floor level with the street are
to be the Sunday school rooms, with
two wings covered by sklights. The
auditorium for the school is to be so
feet wide, and two large balconies
each provided with 290 chairs, will be
erected above the room.
The main floor of the church will
have $50 seats. which, together with
the gallery, would give total seating
capacity of 1,150 The floor will have
a grade of eight feet toward the altar
Sixty-two feet above will be the big