Revised vision emerges for downtown Atlanta church development

Josh Green

Fri, 08/22/2025 – 16:35

Plans are coming into clearer focus for what developers call a bold but inclusive downtown Atlanta church redevelopment centered on community.

Now titled “The Sanctuary,” the project calls for a $41.3-million remake of Trinity United Methodist Church’s historic campus, situated across the street from Atlanta City Hall.

The church has served as a downtown cornerstone for more than a century, but recent years have seen the congregation shrink as the main sanctuary building fell into disrepair.

Gorman & Company, a Wisconsin-based developer with expertise in building affordable housing, plans to restore and convert Trinity UMC at 265 Washington St. into a denser campus of residential units and flexible space for events, in partnership with the church. Plans call for the ministry and community events to continue on site.

Revised visual for Trinity United Methodist Church’s historic campus (left), versus an early concept from 2024. Gorman & Company/Invest Atlanta

Next door, The Sanctuary project will restore the church’s sanctuary and add six more residential units and shared residential space. The Trinity Women’s Center, a low-barrier shelter for women and children experiencing homelessness, will continue to operate on the property, per Gorman.

Expected scope of the 16-story residential tower adjacent to the church. Trinity United Methodist Church

According to the church, the Gothic structure where Trinity Avenue meets Washington Street was designed by prominent architect Walter T. Downing and opened in 1912. Its sanctuary still includes a towering Austin Organ that, according to church leadership, is the oldest remaining pipe organ in the city. Church officials are debating whether to relocate the organ within the church or to a new location.

According to a 2024 Invest Atlanta rundown, rents at the church project would start at $495 monthly for one-bedroom apartments with 570 square feet capped at 30 percent AMI. (The market-rate price for that floorplan will be $1,700.)

Meanwhile, the highest rents for units deemed affordable will be two-bedroom options with 850 square feet, asking $1,752 monthly at 80 percent AMI.

We’ve asked Gorman officials for an outlook on groundbreaking and will update this story should that come. Construction is expected to take 18 months, with completion scheduled for sometime in 2027, officials previously said.

The Gothic-style church and its sanctuary today. Invest Atlanta