Historic church tower in Minneapolis restored, but needs to close funding gap

MINNEAPOLIS— Calvary Baptist Church has been a mainstay of Minneapolis for 141 years. But the more than a century-old structure needed a facelift to keep it running.

For years, church staff have worked to make that possible, renovating the house of worship room by room, piece by piece. Today it is also home to a preschool, a commercial kitchen for small businesses, and office space for therapists.

But until this summer, the most difficult task remained untouched: restoring the church tower that towered above it – the tallest in the area.

Thanks to a $200,000 grant, the church started a fundraising campaign to make that possible. The congregation and community generously donated $800,000 last year, church trustee Dean-Caldwell-Tautges said, but the restoration work was more extensive than initially thought.

Although construction is complete, the church is $25,000 short.

“The community has responded in an amazing way. Obviously the community has given a lot, but so have friends, neighbors, partners and complete strangers when they heard about it because they were attached to something that happened here 50-60 years ago. ago, or maybe just connected to Minneapolis in general, and wanted to see the historic building restored,” Caldwell-Tautges said.

In the spirit of holiday giving, they hope donors will recommit to preserving a historic landmark that has been an essential thread in the fabric of the neighborhood.

Caldwell-Tautges believes the community will answer the call because it has done so before. He thinks this is a testament to the impact of the church.

“The vision is that this is a place for everyone, even if you don’t come on Sundays,” he said. “It’s a place that you think is important to your neighborhood and your community, and so you give to the restoration so that we can continue to share the space.”

Next month the church will formally illuminate the tower during their Christmas concert and market. Staff also hopes to raise another $200,000 for additional restoration projects on the property.