https://wacotrib.com/news/local/business/article_f614b7b7-8407-4a94-9fdc-2f90b40d794a.html

[Seventh & James Baptist Church plans to build a new sanctuary after it sells significant acreage to a student housing developer...]

https://baylorlariat.com/2025/09/10/student-housing-complex-to-replace-seventh-and-james-baptist-church-sanctuary/

[Seventh and James Baptist Church is in the process of selling half of its acreage to a real estate developer, who will build a 265-unit, 621-bedroom student housing complex a few minutes' walk from campus.
The sale will transfer half of the church's roughly five acres of land to Parallel Collective, an Austin-based architecture company that will add to its portfolio of modern, high-rise student housing complexes across Texas and much of the southern United States. The new development is set to begin construction in 2026 and be completed in 2028,]

This is sad to me.

Makes me sick. Member there since mid 70's.

Mock ups

Gross! Next thing you know they'll demolish Baylor Drug!

dan bagby not pleased...........

- el KKM

D!

looks like Our Beloved Huaco Fast Food Mecca is safe:

Remember when "Choice" was there?

AustinHomeGirl said:

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7th was my church for the longest time. Hundreds of students would join in early fall every year. Loved attending "7th's Up!," the wonderful choirs, and amazing organists. Could truly worship. Now, so many more churches in Waco and a wide range of options. Core membership has decreased and maintenance costs have soared. Must have been a difficult decision to sell and allow demo, but they likely had few options. They'll get a new facility that suits their needs. "Singspiration" will need a new home. Those lucky enough to live in the new quarters won't realize they're on hallowed ground to a few of us.

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I wonder what kind of design (and size) they will go with for the new sanctuary they plan to build

74Bear said:

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Makes me sick. Member there since mid 70's.

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why does it make you sick? Sound like the space no longer suits the size of the congregation combined with maintenance costs ect and selling outs an influx of cash into the church that likely needs it bad.

OsoCoreyell said:

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Remember when "Choice" was there?

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I do! Great college services.. thanks Loui

Redbrickbear said:

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AustinHomeGirl said:

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7th was my church for the longest time. Hundreds of students would join in early fall every year. Loved attending "7th's Up!," the wonderful choirs, and amazing organists. Could truly worship. Now, so many more churches in Waco and a wide range of options. Core membership has decreased and maintenance costs have soared. Must have been a difficult decision to sell and allow demo, but they likely had few options. They'll get a new facility that suits their needs. "Singspiration" will need a new home. Those lucky enough to live in the new quarters won't realize they're on hallowed ground to a few of us.

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I wonder what kind of design (and size) they will go with for the new sanctuary they plan to build

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I wonder if they would try to re create the original one that sat on the corner of 7th and James which is now green space with trees. But that is the spot they would build I think.

PartyBear said:

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Redbrickbear said:

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AustinHomeGirl said:

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7th was my church for the longest time. Hundreds of students would join in early fall every year. Loved attending "7th's Up!," the wonderful choirs, and amazing organists. Could truly worship. Now, so many more churches in Waco and a wide range of options. Core membership has decreased and maintenance costs have soared. Must have been a difficult decision to sell and allow demo, but they likely had few options. They'll get a new facility that suits their needs. "Singspiration" will need a new home. Those lucky enough to live in the new quarters won't realize they're on hallowed ground to a few of us.

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I wonder what kind of design (and size) they will go with for the new sanctuary they plan to build

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I wonder if they would try to re create the original one that sat on the corner of 7th and James which is now green space with trees. But that is the spot they would build I think.

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Would be nice.

Something tells me the leadership would not go that traditional with the architecture style.

Really makes you think….all that change….only to end up back where you started with a moderate sized sanctuary.

Gotta wonder if they should have just kept it as it was.

The more I think about it this is just I'll say it again sad. The sanctuary was completely gutted and refurbed in the mid 90s. So that sanctuary is essentially a nice 30 year old traditional Baptist sanctuary in the inside. I believe the building itself is at least 70 years old now, so it is probably only 25-30 years away from historic monument or building status like FBC Waco's sanctuary has had.

Sounds like a smart move.

There's a lot of unused valuable property there.

They can build a modern facility and still have some jingle in their pockets left over.

My business works with a lot of churches around the state. An overwhelming number of them find themselves in the same shoes at 7th & James being vastly overbuilt for their congregation size today and the infrastructure is aging and subsequently more expensive than it used to be. The sad reality is that most of those churches don't have the valuable land that 7th & James possess.

I'm sure they are getting top dollar but appears a good portion of their property is being sold. They had what amounted to about the size of two city blocks. Additionally it is such an historic church, referring to the congregation not the sanctuary building now. I wish they were a little more like the old man in UP but I guess in a way they are as in the end of that movie the old man learned to let go and that didn't mean losing the memories and so did 7th here.

My understanding is 7th and James current leadership basically sold to the highest bidder without considering what was best for Baylor or what their historic stakeholders would have wanted.

They are now needing some concessions from the city to allow a new high rise complex to go through.

Maybe some one more in the know can confirm or correct.

What is best for Baylor? Is it not housing for Baylor students being built on the property.

hill02 said:

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My understanding is 7th and James current leadership basically sold to the highest bidder without considering what was best for Baylor or what their historic stakeholders would have wanted.

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Exactly as they should. A small, aging church should 100% prioritize its concerns over the concerns of the multi billion dollar behemoth university counterparty or "historic stakeholders," whatever that means.

My 'Baylor Church,' Second Baptist was dozed for expansion several years ago. I loved the quirky walk-up and walk-down design to get into the sanctuary. Very inspirational and formative place for me. Alas, old times and memories don't pay the bills.

ABC BEAR said:

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My 'Baylor Church,' Second Baptist was dozed for expansion several years ago. I loved the quirky walk-up and walk-down design to get into the sanctuary. Very inspirational and formative place for me. Alas, old times and memories don't pay the bills.

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I remember that church. I thought it had a cool building with a little neon sign for the church that was either in a post out front or protruding from the building. I remember how that whole little area where now sits the Dutton Garage and the Seminary was a cool little micro part of town.