People of Hope Church

Adaptive Reuse

Gathering

This former 1950’s-era produce warehouse and distribution center will be the new, permanent home for People of Hope Church:  a young church with a focus on serving the Murfreesboro community and particularly the MTSU student population.  POH discovered this fixer-upper because of its prime location and the availability of ample space with room for this church to grow.  Located in “The Bottoms” area of Murfreesboro, this industrial area - with immediate adjacency to downtown and other nearby amenities - was part of a city-conducted master planning process for redevelopment.  The Church stands to be one of the first new projects in the area, becoming a catalyst for mixed use revitalization with a focus on the industrial character and history.  People of Hope intend to keep the existing pre-engineered metal warehouse largely intact, with a modern-meets-industrial make-over that will fit in both with the grittiness of the current neighborhood and the anticipated hip, evolving vibrancy of a new mixed-use community, while still feeling like a place of worship and community gathering.  The interior of the space takes advantage of the tall volumes to create a 450-seat gathering space, with an ample, comfortable lobby and pre-function space, mixed classrooms and office areas with room for expansion, back-of-house production space, and an unfinished area that is conceived as a potential future coffee shop or community outreach ministry.