Heavenly building waits for a miracle

The real estate listings are overstocked these days, but this property stands out as unique:

A strikingly beautiful 1876 brick landmark; 21,189 sq. ft. with a wonderful downtown location; amenities like a gymnasium, two bowling alleys, an elevator, stained glass windows. Price reduced from $480,000 to $250,000!

All that is true. Unfortunately, it's also a fixer-upper: needs new roof, maybe a furnace; some foundation work may be in order. But, ah, once you have it finished -- some paint and decorating, of course -- you'd have a real gem, a cathedral. Well, a fine church, for sure.

The Realtor selling this gem is John Crimmings, of First Weber. He's clearly conflicted as he shows the former First Baptist Church to prospective buyers.

"In its day, it was a beautiful, beautiful thing," he says. "It still has a lot of potential; it could really be something."

The problem is, he says: "The churches that could use it, can't afford it." Other Racine churches have sold in recent years, most notably after the Catholic Church consolidated parishes: St. Stanislaus, Holy Trinity, St. Rose ... Crimmings ticks them off, noting that some had rectories, or parking, while First Baptist does not.

And so, while he continues to show First Baptist to congregations that would relish a downtown location and a potential showplace -- it was once; it could be again! -- at the back of his mind is the dark thought that the highest and best use for the property, located across the street from the Racine County Courthouse and the Racine County jail, is as a parking lot.

But still he perseveres, trying to perform a miracle. "To a congregation, a church has very important meaning in their lives. It would be nice to be able to return it to grandeur," he says.

Listing is HERE.