Tomball City Council informally directed the Tomball Economic Development Corporation on Aug. 21 to seek demolition quotes for portions of Legacy Square, while leaving the former church campus’ final uses unresolved.
No formal vote was taken and no demolition contract was approved, but about $500,000 is budgeted for the work. Mayor Lori Klein Quinn was absent.
“I think we need to just stick to our guns and move forward,” Mayor Pro Tem Paul Garcia said. “I just don’t want to be talking about this again next year.”
The details
City Council’s Aug. 17 direction calls for preserving the main sanctuary, 1949 chapel and fellowship hall while removing other buildings.
TEDC board member Wayne Hall also proposed pricing the possible demolition of the fellowship hall to give officials another option. Council did not direct that building to be removed.
The joint meeting was intended to clarify six directions approved Aug. 17. Hall said the TEDC needs more guidance before developing financial projections or approaching potential tenants.
“We’re going to operate from ground up,” Hall said. “But we need some guidelines as to what we can do and what we can’t do.”
Diving in deeper
Officials did not decide whether the sanctuary should become a performing arts facility, community center or a combination of both. Its sloped floor works for performances but could limit activities such as banquets and exercise classes, Hall said.
Another option would place the community center in part of the roughly 40,000-square-foot fellowship hall, with the remaining space used for a maker space, retail or other purposes.
Ultimately, no capacity was selected. TEDC Executive Director Kelly Violette said the site’s existing 313 parking spaces could accommodate the sanctuary’s current 700 seats. However, maintaining that capacity would reduce the fellowship hall space available for other uses from about 32,000 to 23,000 square feet.
TEDC officials also said any operating plan would need to generate enough revenue to avoid ongoing city subsidies or liability.
Also of note
TEDC is continuing preliminary discussions with the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts about using the chapel and discussions with the Foundation for Arts and Community Enrichment about operating the sanctuary. No financial agreements have been reached.
The original 800- to 1,000-seat performing arts concept is no longer being pursued. Residents have raised concerns about traffic, parking, noise and lighting, although some residents support smaller arts and community uses.
Legacy Square remains in the early planning stages. Council previously pushed TEDC to reduce an initial $8 million budget placeholder and return for budget amendments as plans develop.
The broader Legacy Square discussion was tabled and will return at a future meeting.
