Over a dozen apartments are planned for Sarnia's former Central United Church.
City council approved the required rezoning and official plan amendments Monday, giving Xoana Corporation clearance for 15 new residential units on the property.
Senior Development Planner Max Williams said the former church has three separate components.
"The original component was built as a sanctuary, the northern component was built in 1954 as a space for a school and a gymnasium and the third component on the east side of the sanctuary, known as the Turner Hall, was built later," said Williams.
The applicant, Anthony Mota, is going to modify the former gymnasium into 15 residential units, three more than originally planned.
The sanctuary will be kept for performances and a soup kitchen is proposed for Turner Hall, but a separate application will have to be submitted to use the commercial kitchen.
Councillor Brian White is excited for the property's future.
"I think this was a great concern for many people for a long time, that the impending closure of Central United Church was going to leave another vacant building for a long time and obviously this proposal not only prevents a derelict building, that means so much to so many people in this community, it actually preserves its integrity," said White.
The historic church, at the corner of Brock and George Streets in Sarnia, was sold in January 2020.
