KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A historic building in Kansas City's Westside neighborhood is in danger of closing if important repairs aren't made.
"These are the kinds of spaces and these are the individuals that create the identity of our city," said Cynthia Ammerman, a preservationist with Friends of Sacred Structures. The group works to preserve churches, such as the former Alta Vista Christian Church on Avenida Cesar Chavez.
The congregation was founded in 1917, as many Mexican immigrants were settling in the neighborhood to work on the railroad. The community built the church in 1931 as the first bilingual Protestant congregation in Kansas City.
"Knowing the development pressures and gentrification and the income disparities of the neighborhood, it was a priority to reach out to the community," Ammerman said.
Ammerman nominated the church, now La Gloria de Dios Iglesia Cristiana, to be on the 2019 "Places in Peril" list. The Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation puts the list together every year to help raise awareness about historical sites that need improvement.
Dan Robeson with Friends of Sacred Structures said water has leaked into the church over many years, shifting the foundation. The building has structural issues that will only get worse without repairs. But the spiritual foundation of the church is still strong.
"He thinks it's a solid base to be around here so we can show the light of the people," said Obed Angulo, translating for his father Manuel Angulo, who is the pastor of the church.
Angulo has been at the church for three years. It's a small congregation, but it's tight-knit, like the community.
The congregation hopes they can continue to be a resource for the Westside neighborhood, as they have been for nearly 90 years.
"It would be a sad thing to (have this building be) destroyed or have anything happen like a disaster," Angulo said. "(So) he would like to continue maintaining and try to fix any issues if possible."
Ammerman is trying to find resources so the Friends of Sacred Structures can do a detailed stabilization assessment.
"The buildings itself become the collectors of experiences and memories," she said.
Katz Drugstore on Main Street in Kansas City and the Hall of Waters in Excelsior Springs are also on the 2019 "Places in Peril" list.
The former Kansas City Public Schools Board of Education building on McGee Street is on the watch list.
