Posted: Jan 10, 2010 at 5:59 AM [Jan 10, 2010]

First Congregational United Church of Christ in Ypsilanti is up for sale.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

One of Ypsilanti’s oldest churches is on the market.

The 13,600-square-foot Ypsilanti First Congregational United Church of Christ at 218 N. Adams St. has been listed with a sale price of $650,000, including its annex.

The listing speaks to both a shrinking congregation and the difficulty many churches encountering in selling their unique real estate.

Bill Skubik, a broker with Religious Real Estate, is also offering the 112-year-old church building by itself at a price of $400,000 or a lease price of $1,500 per month plus utilities.

The sale price doesn’t include the building’s stained glass or pipe organs.

Having received the OK from the City of Ypsilanti planning department, Skubik is also marketing the main church for residential redevelopment.

If it were purchased by a developer, First Congregational would continue operating in the 28 year old, 3,000-square-foot annex. Skubik said the church building could potentially be divided into six condominiums, and the residential and church tenants would share the parking lot.

The church is located at the corner of Adams and Emmett Street, and resembles a medieval castle. Its location within the Ypsilanti Historic District makes it a slightly more difficult sell, Skubik said. None of several local residential developers he has approached expressed an interest in such a project.

Because it’s an old church, the building needs attention. The roof leaks in several spots – though the annex recently had its roof replaced – and there are some general renovations needed in the interior.

Skubik said the church market has mirrored the residential real estate market in recent years, and the Detroit area has been hit particularly hard. Many churches in Detroit are sold under land contracts, Skubik added, and the owner of First Congregational would consider such an option.

First Congregational is one of three churches in Ypsilanti being marketed by Religious Real Estate, which specializes in the unique properties. The Israel Spiritual Church at 802 North River St. is listed at $149,000 and the Forest Avenue Baptist Church at 218 East Forest Ave. is listed at $2 million.

But the distinguishing feature of the First Congregational building is its age and architecture.

“If you were looking for an old building – it was built in1898 – then this would be a nice building for you,” Skubik said.

Glenda Horvath, a moderator with First Congregational, said the church made the decision to sell because their congregation’s numbers have declined in recent years and such a large space is no longer needed.

However, she underscored that First Congregational plans to remain in Ypsilanti when the building sells and it comes time to move.

“We are sorry to leave the building because it’s such a beautiful building and has a lot of history, but the reality is our congregation doesn’t need a space that large,” she said. “We need to find something affordable that meets our needs.”