Restoring and repurposing church properties is a green initiative known as “adaptive reuse,” says Ann Gray, executive director of Cornerstones Inc., Chattanooga’s historic preservation nonprofit.

“One of the interesting things about historic preservation is that they [church buildings] very much embrace the concept of adaptive reuse,” says Gray. “They were built for an original purpose; now that purpose has changed, but that building is still sound to use.

“Churches were built for public community gatherings, and through adaptive reuse they are still being used for that same purpose with a twist. That’s why we accept it so easily,” Gray explains.

via Empty churches in greater Chattanooga area being resurrected into new uses | timesfreepress.com.