Carson City historic church gets help from city

One of Carson City's oldest churches got the money it wanted to help build a new sanctuary and repair its historic sanctuary.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors voted Thursday to give First Presbyterian Church $78,800 to help build a new sanctuary and preserve the adjacent sanctuary built in the 1860s.

In 2005, church representatives asked to tear down the historic sanctuary at Nevada and King streets, saying it was structurally unsound and unusable for services.

City officials rejected the request, but gave the church $67,700 in 2006 to help with design costs for the new building.

The church said last year that the city had promised to help with additional costs. The city said it told the church it would help if it could, but never promised money.

The city has formed a nonprofit to help pay for restoration and maintenance costs of the church and other historic buildings.

Business Development Director Joe McCarthy said the payment says "loud and clear" that the city supports downtown redevelopment.

"The message must emphasize that the historic preservation of this beautiful sanctuary is invaluable to the neighborhood, to youth and adult fellowship, to childcare needs, to counseling efforts and to a myriad of other enriching community-based programs that benefit the public at large," McCarthy said in a report.

Rev. Bruce Kochsmeier of the First Presbyterian Church said the old sanctuary could be used as a chapel and as a tourist attraction.

Stan Jones, head of the city redevelopment authority citizens committee, said the redevelopment authority needs to be clearer in its purpose. He said he supports the payment to the church, but the project could be seen as historic preservation rather than redevelopment.

- Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.