ARB approves Church of the Ascension demolition after structural report shows rebuilding needed

The Montgomery City Architecture Review Board approved the Church of the Ascension's request to demolish a severely deteriorated house in the Garden District after the church provided a structural report concluding the structure would require extensive replacement.

The vote matters because the Garden District's neighborhood group had initially opposed demolition but later reviewed the report and told the board it supported demolition based on the engineer's findings.

Daniel Hughes and Richard Norris, members of the Church of the Ascension vestry, presented the church's plans and said they had engaged structural engineer Gordon Davis. Hughes told the board the report indicated the building would need the floor, roof and sides replaced and essentially would have to be rebuilt.

Christina Cadden, identified in the meeting as "GDP a president," said her group had discussed the church's submittal with church representatives and supported demolition after reviewing the structural findings.

Board members asked whether outstanding questions remained and then voted to approve the church's request. A motion to "approve and submit it" carried by voice vote with no opposition recorded on the audio.

The board recorded that if the church pursues new construction on the property, the proposed design will return to the ARB for review.

The board's approval cleared the ARB step of demolition review; the church must still comply with city permitting and building-department requirements for demolition and any subsequent construction.