Neighbors work together to renovate Detroit historic church and offer coffee, café, cocktails and community
DETROIT. February 18, 2020–The Congregation, located at 9321 Rosa Parks Blvd. in Detroit, will open on March 5 thanks to the hard work of neighbors who vowed to bring the 1920’s era church back to life after years of abandonment. The former church is situated between Boston Edison and Atkinson neighborhoods across from historic Gordon Park.
Beginning March 5, the space will be a cafe that features coffee and pastries in the morning and cocktails and small bites in the evening. There is also space to rent for private and community events.
“We will be a gathering place for the residents and visitors of these neighborhoods to relax and socialize. We will feature rotating art, musicians, story hours, book clubs, and outdoor programming in the Biergarten in good weather,” said Co-Owner Betsy Murdoch. “We are also excited about hiring from within our community and offering jobs to our neighbors.”
The vision for converting the formerly abandoned church has been in the works for more than three years. They began construction on the 2,500-square foot former church last summer with the help of Architect David Iannuzzi of Iannuzzi Studio and JJ’s House, both Detroit-based businesses. The Congregation was a Motor City Match awardee in 2017.
A tremendous amount of attention and detail was given to preserving the history and integrity of the building. The team used every effort to repurpose or restore what was salvageable in the building. Filled with antiques and soft comfortable furniture, the cafe features a counter made of church pews and a refurbished arched window that was previously covered in cinderblocks. Another highlight is a rare Casavant Freres organ and pipes at the edge of the main room that was originally built by Samuel Russell Warren. A new outdoor deck was added to the facility, offering a great view of Gordon Park.
Murdoch believes in sourcing quality local products. The menu will consist of Great Lakes Coffee, local beer, wine and spirits, soups, flatbreads, salads, snacks, and Detroit-sourced baked goods from Good Cakes & Bakes, Terri’s Cakes, and Eat Good Cookies.
Hours will be 7 am-9 pm weekdays, 7 am-10 pm weekends, 9 am-6 pm Sundays. Street parking is available.
For more information, visit www.thecongregationdetroit.com or on social media @thecongregationdetroit.
MEDIA CONTACT: Colleen Robar, 313-207-5960, crobar@robarpr.com