- The former First Church of the Nazarene at 1500 Linden Street sold for $665,000
- The building is 18,069 square feet on 0.85 acres
- Buyer Abe Atiyeh plans to rent space to smaller churches
- A four-bedroom house on the property will also be rented
A former church building in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, will be rented out to several smaller congregations, WFMZ-TV reported in March 2024.
The former First Church of the Nazarene at 1500 Linden Street sold for $665,000, according to a deed recorded by Northampton County on 20 March. The building covers 18,069 square feet on 0.85 acres. The buyer was developer Abe Atiyeh.
Atiyeh plans to continue the building’s religious use by renting space to smaller churches. “We want to rent space to smaller churches. We are already getting calls about it,” he said. Other possible uses include a daycare, and a four-bedroom house on the property will also be rented. He said the building could be available within two or three months.
The purchase reflects a simple economic fact: many small congregations cannot afford a building of their own but still need a place to worship. A large former church divided among several congregations, each paying rent, can generate income for its owner while meeting that need.
The deal also shows the value of a church site’s extras. A house on the property adds rental income, and space suitable for a daycare broadens the building’s potential beyond Sunday use.
In Jamaica, many new congregations rent school halls, shops or community centres. A church owner with surplus space, or an investor with a suitable building, could offer shared worship space on fair written terms. Clear agreements on scheduling, maintenance, utilities and insurance are essential when several congregations share one building.
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