NEW ORLEANS — After sitting empty for a decade, a historic church on Magazine Street is now under new ownership.
NOLA Baptist Church currently worships in a leased warehouse on Tchoupitoulas Street. It has had its sights set on the Magazine Street church for a while. Members even joked that “maybe someone will buy it, then one day donate it to us,” said Pastor Kyle Jagers with a laugh.
NOLA Baptist Church entered into an agreement to purchase the historic church with then-owner the New Orleans Baptist Association. They began fundraising, then one day in early 2022, Jagers got an email from the nationwide craft store chain Hobby Lobby.
The company, which openly supports faith-based organizations, was offering to buy the church then lease it to NOLA Baptist. After a certain amount of time, the company said it would consider donating the building to the congregation. Members voted to go ahead with the plan.
Then, days before Christmas of 2023, Hobby Lobby handed over the building. “We’re a small church,” said Jagers, “so for us to ever acquire a property like this would really be a miracle.’
The Valence Street Baptist Church has a long history. The land was purchased by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1885. It hired well-known architect Thomas Sully to design the church. Sully worked on many buildings in New Orleans that still stand today, including the old Whitney Bank building downtown and the mansions that would become the Columns Hotel and The Chloe.
An open binder still sits on the pulpit with the last sermon given in the church. Dusty pamphlets scattered around note the date as Apr. 13, 2014. After that, the building was shuttered, and a decade later the city issued the New Orleans Baptist Association a citation for demolition by neglect.
Despite the building’s age, though, the foundation appears to be in good condition. “The bones are in great shape, so very minimal termite damage, minimal water damage,” said Jagers.
The congregation is working on a master plan for the renovation right now. Once it is finished, it will begin fundraising. Jagers estimates it will be about a year and half’s worth of work, though the timeline could be longer depending on funding.
WWL Louisiana has reached out to Hobby Lobby for comment and has not heard back.
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