By Jessica Dillon
The First Presbyterian Church of Martinsville has transformed its former education wing into a community office wing, creating a new resource for small businesses, nonprofits and professional services.
This project is an innovative use of first-class space by a church, which, like many others, has experienced a decline in usage since the pandemic. In keeping with the church’s philanthropic and community support mission, this renovated facility in a neighborhood adjacent to the Patrick Henry Elementary School is expected to be a community asset.
Church leaders said the project grew out of a desire to find a new use for underutilized space while continuing the church’s mission of serving the community.
“We are currently in what used to be the office, main church, and then we added on, on the other side, and eventually this may just become almost 10 years,” committee chair Anne Madonia said. “We wanted it to be something that would serve the community and also be the mission of the church.”
Madonia said church members spent about a year renovating the space and bringing it up to code.
“After much thought, we came up with turning it into offices. And we spent about a year renovating, bringing it up to code to meet inspection. We currently have four tenants. We have three on this floor right now and then downstairs is the daycare,” she said.
The office wing includes a shared conference room available to tenants. Six offices are currently available for rent.
“They’re very spacious. The nice thing, all the rooms you have storage, and they can be divided into sections,” Madonia said.
The offices range from approximately 150 to 600 square feet and feature locking doors and windows that provide natural light. Rent includes access to a break room, secure entry, water, electricity and sewer service.
First Presbyterian Church is located at 1901 Patrick Henry Ave., Martinsville.
For information about leasing office space, contact property manager Rita Bateman at 276-632-3431 or email ritaofficefpc@gmail.com.
