Downtown park project raised concerns about homeless. Church wants something simpler
The church at the center of a dispute over a proposed park on a downtown lot says it wants to scale down plans that have upset some of its neighbors, including another nearby house of worship.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is backing away from more elaborate plans presented Tuesday by a developer who owns the currently vacant lot at 1324 Richland St. That plan — which would classify the 5,000-square-foot space between two office buildings as an event space — drew opposition from Ebenezer Lutheran Church, which sits across the street.
“If Ebenezer and the city are against it, we won’t go forward with it,” said Drew Theodore, vice president of Holy Trinity’s parish council. “We’re going back to the drawing board.”
Theodore said when the estate of the late Columbia businessman Joe Azar , which owns the lot, approached his church about using the space, Holy Trinity thought it would be a small, shaded park. But the plans drawn up include a a stage, seating areas and a gated entrance, although designers told the city of Columbia’s zoning board the space was still intended for church functions and birthday parties rather than outside events.
The church was interested in the property because it would be built in honor of Azar, who passed away earlier this year. Azar was a friend of the Greek Orthodox church, Theodore said.
Theodore also said Holy Trinity was unaware Ebenezer had initially been offered use of the property by the developers, and that he understood concerns the proposed park could attract homeless.
“We know homeless people could sleep there, and that’s not good for the neighborhood,” he said.
Columbia’s zoning board deferred any action on the park on Tuesday, partly because no one from Holy Trinity was present to speak about plans for the park.
Holy Trinity has since reached out to Ebenezer about the lot to come to an understanding, Theodore said. Officials with Ebenezer and a representative of the Azar estate could not be reached for comment.
“Whatever we do, we want them to like the idea, or we could do something jointly,” Theodore said. “I don’t think we would rent it out.”
This story was originally published December 12, 2019 at 3:28 PM.
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