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Depends on what they look like, where they located in their area, and what appeal they may have.
I worked for a company that converted a couple of them to apartments. These were older, turn of the last century, clapboard style churches in older neighborhoods. If they are more modern structures or housed in huge steel structures, then they could see alternative approaches depending on the neighborhood. Housing, retail, clubs, entertainment are all possible options.
Those were in WV. However a church in ME was turned into an Arts Center when the church built a new building a and moved out.
Churches are specialized buildings that don't lend themselves conveniently to a lot of other uses. However, a place for performing arts does seem a natural fit. There is an old church in my hometown that was purchased in the 1960s by the local arts guild as a performance theater.
There's also another former church here that is now a private residence.
I used to go to a restaurant in NYC that was formerly a church.
Also walked past another regularly that housed little boutique shops.
Read an article the other day that points out that a negative trend in restaurants is that they tend to be overly "live" spaces, acoustically speaking, and you can't carry out a normal conversation without shouting.
The canonical example given was a NYC restaurant that was formerly a church. Don't know if it's the same one; I'd be unsurprised to learn that there are several. The developers actually engaged an acoustic consultant, and they did various things to reduce the echo, putting sound absorbing material on the underside of tables and slanting the floor and such, but a big open space is a big open space. The way they described it, those spaces were designed so a lot of people could hear one person speaking; now they are being used in reverse from their original intent, so that each person hears a multitude chattering.
Read an article the other day that points out that a negative trend in restaurants is that they tend to be overly "live" spaces, acoustically speaking, and you can't carry out a normal conversation without shouting.
The canonical example given was a NYC restaurant that was formerly a church. Don't know if it's the same one; I'd be unsurprised to learn that there are several. The developers actually engaged an acoustic consultant, and they did various things to reduce the echo, putting sound absorbing material on the underside of tables and slanting the floor and such, but a big open space is a big open space. The way they described it, those spaces were designed so a lot of people could hear one person speaking; now they are being used in reverse from their original intent, so that each person hears a multitude chattering.
Interesting. I don't think the one I was thinking of exists any longer.
However a church in ME was turned into an Arts Center when the church built a new building a and moved out.
The congregation could not afford to heat that old building which is a shame because I had gone to the Washington St. Baptist church a lot when I was up in the summers as a kid.
The Cornerstone building was built sometime between our 2003 trip and 2007 trip.
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