Historic Church in Macon Dispute Causes Organization to Take Action

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A big part of Macon’s history is at risk of being demolished, and turned into a food chain.

According to Historic Macon’s Director Josh Rogers, Tremont Temple Baptist Church at 860 Forsyth Street in downtown Macon is a nationally known establishment, and deeply rooted in African American culture.

The Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission will hear a design team’s plan to knock down the space to build a Dunkin Donuts across the street from the Medical Center of Central Georgia.

Rogers disagrees with demolition plans, and wants to take action at the P&Z commission meeting next week.

“On Tuesday, at the Planning and Zoning commission hearing, we’re going to ask the Planning and Zoning commission to send the building back to the design review board, so the design review board can meet in full and judge the facts, and give them a professional opinion about the preservation of the building,” says Rogers.

The building is for sale, but even though it will have new owners soon, Rogers hopes future buyers will preserve it.

“I strongly believe we can find an economically viable plan for the reuse of this building that will benefit the church and will allow the community to keep the structure.”

Rogers added he is not opposed to the idea of having a chain restaurant in that area as long as contractors renovate instead of knocking down the building.