Deserted Texas church transforms into mixed
A Houston construction company known for projects including Hugo Ortega's eponymous restaurant and the beachfront Shark Attack 3D Theater will now turn a deserted Galveston County church damaged by Hurricane Harvey into a new $3 million development. The project will renovate parts of First Baptist Church Dickinson and tear down others, transforming the complex into a mixed-use space with retail and dining options for tenants.
ELS Construction said it will renovate one of the desserted former church's three buildings into its company headquarters, while the steepled structure that served as First Baptist's sanctuary for Sunday services will become an events center. The middle area of the 44,000-square-foot complex, which connected the two buildings, has already been partly torn down and will be converted into green space.
A smaller building behind the church, facing Nevada Street, now serves as ELS's construction office. General counsel Robert Swofford told Chron that the company has plans to turn the 35,000-square-foot space into a retail building. "The portion we're using for our offices was not flooded," Swofford confirmed, adding that the sanctuary, which saw "very minimal" flooding during Harvey, was the only area of the property damaged by water.
The company purchased the property, located near the intersection of FM 517 and state Highway 3, back in June. "We've been looking for a property where we can put our office in," Swofford said.
ELS is currently based out of southeast Houston, near League City and not too far from the Dickinson, Texas. ELS will relocate its 20-plus employees to the new complex, with plans to expand in the coming months. "We've been in a steady growth pattern...we're hoping to exceed $40 million in gross sales this year," Swofford said. Plans for the area could also include repurposing a nearby vacant lot into a fast-casual dining option or a coffee chain.
Lisa Kurrass of Real Estate Connection International, who represented First Baptist during the transaction, told the Houston Business Journal that the church had held services in the adjacent metal building until recently, but she didn't know where the congregation has since moved. Chron attempted to contact the church, but the church's phone line and website were no longer active.
