Ecclesia Church At 2115 Taft St.

[dachmation]

Ever heard of Ecclessia? Taft at Drew street? Not really a church-- since they didn't apply for permits as a CHURCH (permits for coffee house and art gallery YES--church--no--permit requires x number of spaces per square foot of space --this building has no off street parking)-- 3 times each Sunday, dozens and dozens amd dozens of cars park in and around and block driveways/sidewalks-and leave no passageway for local traffic or heaven forbid for emergency vehicles (the sidestreets are narrow)- The local civic organization has meet with Ecclessia many times over many years and gotten nowhere-- COH same thing-- HPD solution was to start calling and reporting parking violators--

the local residents decided to try that--

this is what happened--

This is what was posted on youtube by whomever took video--A few seconds before this video began we had asked this constable to ticket two cars that were blocking a sidewalk, he was also blocking the sidewalk, but that this another issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O88-3weR90

Why is HPD giving Ecclessia special consideration?

[musicman]

drive around the neighborhood, they defintiely aren't getting special consideration. other businesses along fairview do the same thing. i'm getting union bar flashbacks.

[tmariar]

I'm not certain of the history of the Ecclesia building, and so don't know if this ordinance applies, but the city ordinance directed at "requiring all persons developing new and redeveloping existing buildings within the city to provide sufficient off-street parking and loading facilities for such buildings" is section 26-471. It applies only:

(1) To construction of new buildings;

(2) To the alteration of existing structures where the alteration results in an increase in the gross floor area of a building or the useable floor area an existing free-standing structure;

(3) To a change of land use;

(4) To a change of use in a free-standing building from one occupancy class to another occupancy class;

(5) To a change of use in a strip or neighborhood shopping center where the addition of a class 6 or 7 occupancy to the strip or neighborhood shopping center increases the total gross floor area of the shopping center used by class 6 or 7 occupancies.

Section 26-472 defines a "church" in part by requiring it to have tax exempt status. Section 26-492 says that the parking required for a "church" is "1.0 space for every 5 fixed seats in auditorium or sanctuary or, if there are no fixed seats, 1.0 space for every 40 square feet of GFA in the main auditorium or sanctuary."

From reading the comments below the video, it sounds like a lot may have gone before what the video-taker describes as heckling by HPD (not on tape) and what was on the tape, and for all I know that may justify the video-taker's anger. But without that background, the anger seems disproportionate, and the video does not offer proof of a violation of the ordinance by Ecclesia, violations of parking laws by its members (a separate issue), continued lack of parking-law enforcement at that location by HPD, or prior reasonable attempts on the neighbors' part to deal with the situation. I know the building and the neighborhood, and believe the applicable ordinances and laws should be enforced - but, if the neighbors are trying to get broader support for their cause, I think they would be better served by backing up several steps in presenting their case.

Edited June 3, 2009 by tmariar

[kylejack]

Side note, Central City Co-Op, a food growing co-op, operates their store at Ecclesia on Wednesdays. http://www.centralcityco-op.org/

[tmariar]

Side note, Central City Co-Op, a food growing co-op, operates their store at Ecclesia on Wednesdays.

That's how I know the building - I ordered veggies and fruit from the co-op once, and keep meaning to do it again.

[EMME]

I used to live behind Empire Cafe. Everytime we called the police to ticket for parking, they were there pretty quickly.

[trymahjong]

I'm wondering if the HPD hesitency might have something to do with the "church" label?

HPD might not want the PR nightmare of "going after those churchgoers---

my $.02

most of the people incharge at

eclessia including chris seay the head guy seem very friendly and positive-- but they also refused to obey the firemarshall's ban on meeting at the venue because there were too many people for that venue--eclessia just removed the firemarshalls proclaimation paper from the door and held services as usual----and when councilwomen adams office investigated the "no permit" thing--

eclessia onl offered up their permits for the coffee shop and gallery--both of these don't require as much parking to be available.

most of the EMCA residents are very good and tolerate people also--many have been residents BEFORE Eclessia -I know many avenues have been explored to resolve this---but no resolution has been found so far-- there are rumors now that the church is moving---maybe that's best--the whole parking/traffic and big-amp-sunday service has made me avoid the whole place anyway-- so i don't get to enjoy the co-op or coffee anymore--

it's a shame-- i love my neighborhood and can't understand why

eclessia can't find a way to be a GOOD neighbor

[EMME]

It seems that if you really want to take them down for their code violations, you could just point to their website where they refer to themselves as a church and publish times of services.

http://www.ecclesiahouston.org

[tmariar]

Found a Chronicle article that offers some background on the parking conflict. Now that I see it, I think I remember reading it, but was more focused then on the dispute over Emmaus.

[trymahjong]

maybe Eclessia is moving after all--is there another thread on Eclessia?

A friend sent me this:

did you catch this HAIF post by 'RS' on 4/8/09? Not the first time to hear this. Stats (if accurate) are interesting. Posting:

Somewhere up the thread, The Meridian was mentioned. I've got several friends who work at a church/coffeeshop/art gallery at Taft & Welch (Montrose/Midtown) called Ecclesia. It is, for lack of a better description, a "hip/artsy" church.

In late 2007, as a favor (I'm not affiliated with them formally), I ran a statistical analysis on their attendance. 80% of the congregation was under 35, and lived in Montrose or Midtown. They have three services on Sunday -- maybe 200 people showed up to each then; my guess is that's increased since.

The rumor mill tells me that Ecclesia has bought The Meridian and plans to vacate their current space on Taft (I used to live nearby, and parking and noise had become major problems for their neighbors) and move in to The Meridian. My guess is, also, that the Ecclesia management has a pretty clear hypothesis on where "20-something hip people" are migrating in the next 5-10 years or so.

--

[kylejack]

Well I am a 20 something hip person and I lived 1 block from Meridian until a few days ago, so maybe they're right. I hadn't heard anything about them buying Meridian though.

[EMME]

Well I am a 20 something hip person and I lived 1 block from Meridian until a few days ago, so maybe they're right. I hadn't heard anything about them buying Meridian though.

Where is The Meridian?

[kylejack]

Where is The Meridian?

In Near-East End, Leeland @ St. Emanuel. That area is carpeted with unoccupied warehouses that are begging to be torn down and replaced with cheap housing close to downtown. Midtown is getting pretty saturated with new construction, so East End will probably be the next area to pop, I think.

[EMME]

In Near-East End, Leeland @ St. Emanuel. That area is carpeted with unoccupied warehouses that are begging to be torn down and replaced with cheap housing close to downtown. Midtown is getting pretty saturated with new construction, so East End will probably be the next area to pop, I think.

Yep, sold some property on Clay and Nagle over there last year.

[Native Montrosian]

The rumor mill tells me that Ecclesia has bought The Meridian and plans to vacate their current space on Taft (I used to live nearby, and parking and noise had become major problems for their neighbors) and move in to The Meridian.

According to my friend who is one of the Meridian's managers, Ecclesia had looked at renting some of the unused ground level space, but did not do so. The Meridian is not for sale; in fact, they now have the Sports Bar going 7 days a week and have plans to do a Celtic Jam night there, probably on Tuesdays.

[HoustonMidtown]

The church is gone....

[trymahjong]

The church is gone....

IMG_3484.JPG

This is a huge piece of land--

one wonders what will be placed here next.

[BrettSFA]

urban living (legend homes) bought the three lots across from Mason and are building monsters. The Church had over 25,000 sq ft so Im guessing it will be more town homes.