Developer turns old Indianapolis church into apartments

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A former Indianapolis black church once headed toward demolition has been saved and converted into apartments.

Built in 1924, Phillips Temple was the largest African American-owned church in Indiana. Its sanctuary seated 1,500 people.

The temple fell into disrepair and Indianapolis Public Schools bought it in 2011, intending to tear it down to create parking for an adjacent high school. But the school district relented after Indiana Landmarks placed the building on its "10 Most Endangered" list.

The Indiana Business Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2evuWZE ) Van Rooy Properties bought the building for $124,000 last year.

It's now been restored and renamed Temple Lofts. The building's 16 apartments nearly filled up in less than two months. Some original church pews have been cut down to smaller versions used as benches in the hallways.

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Information from: Indianapolis Business Journal, http://www.ibj.com