On Its Downtown Corner Since 1832: A Mississippi Church Finds a Second Buyer After the First Deal Fails

• First Baptist Church of Columbus, Mississippi, has occupied its downtown property at 202 Seventh Street North since 1832.
• The four main buildings cover 81,000 square feet; the current sanctuary was built in 1908.
• The property was listed at $1.5 million in 2016 and most recently at $450,000.
• A first sale fell through in January 2022; the congregation approved a new offer in February.

A Mississippi church that has been trying to sell its historic downtown home for years has a new buyer lined up. The Dispatch reported that First Baptist Church of Columbus approved a new offer for its downtown property.

The church has occupied the site at 202 Seventh Street North since 1832; its current sanctuary dates from 1908. The property includes four main buildings covering 81,000 square feet. It has been available since 2005, when the church bought land on Bluecutt Road for a new campus. It was listed at $1.5 million in 2016 and, most recently, at $450,000.

On November 1, 2021 the property went under contract with an unnamed developer from north Mississippi, but that sale fell through on January 31, 2022. A new buyer with local ties, whose identity was not disclosed, approached the realtor after hearing that the first deal had collapsed, and the congregation approved the new offer in February 2022. The price was not disclosed. Under the agreement, the church may keep using the sanctuary for up to a year while work continues on its new building on Bluecutt Road.

Realtor Royce Hudspeth said: “I think the closing is going to happen pretty quick, probably in 30 to 40 days.”

The Columbus story shows how long it can take to sell a large, old church building, and how far the price can fall. A property listed at $1.5 million came down to $450,000 over six years. Jamaican churches planning a move should think about selling the old site early, get realistic valuations, and consider arrangements like Columbus’s right to keep worshipping in the old building until the new one is ready. For buyers, long-listed church properties can offer good value, though restoration costs must be counted carefully.

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