Demolition Nearing For St. George Street Church

The long-vacant Bethel Tabernacle Pentecostal Church on St. George Street – known fondly by some locals as the “Jesus Saves Church” - will be torn down roughly a month from now to make way for new condominiums.

Crews are currently readying the building for demolition, Project Manager Peter Zagorianakos of Newton-based N&P Associates, LLC reported at last week’s Blackstone/Franklin Squares Neighborhood Association meeting. He estimated that the building would be torn down in a little more than a month’s time with foundation work beginning shortly after.

“When we start demolition we’re really starting construction,” he said.

The project, which was recently approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, still needs approval by the South End Landmark’s District Commission before permits can be pulled for demolition, Zagorianakos said. Once demolition begins, the site will become a full-time work zone.

During that time, crews will occupy a portion of the sidewalk on St. George Street along the southern edge of Franklin Square. At the request of neighbors, alleyways will remain accessible, Zagorianakos said.

The project calls for the construction of 33 residential units, currently billed as condos, and 22 underground parking spaces. Four of the units will be designated as affordable and two will be handicap accessible. The pricing on the units, many of which will have three bedrooms, has not been determined, Zagorianakos said. The one-bedroom units will offer roughly 900 square feet of living space.

The St. George Street church has been vacant since 2007, when the Bethel Tabernacle Pentecostal Congregation moved to Dorchester for space and parking reasons.

Zagorianakos and his team are also responsible for the renovations planned for the on Warren Avenue, which is being . Construction on the historic church was originally slated to begin in the third quarter of 2010, but will likely remain on hold until next year, Zagorianakos said last week. The nine units planned for the building range in size from approximately 1,500 to 4,300 square feet.