CHARLOTTE — A historic Black church in a fast-changing Charlotte neighborhood was left in disrepair and slated for demolition by the city. Now, it is about to be brought back to life.
Mount Carmel’s congregation was formed in the 1800s and the structure was built in 1921.
The building was gifted to Johnson C. Smith University 32 years ago, but as the surrounding Biddleville-Smallwood neighborhood has been renewed, the historic structure fell into disrepair.
JCSU President Valerie Kinloch understands better than most why Mount Carmel matters so much to the neighborhood.
She graduated from the school in 1996 and said a lot has changed since then.
“Gentrification has happened, and community revitalization has happened,” she said.
Neighbors told Channel 9′s Madison Carter that it is not just an eyesore, it’s a safety concern.
In the video at the top of this webpage, Carter explains a path forward after years of uncertainty and weeks of questioning from Channel 9.
In the video at the top of this webpage, Carter explains a path forward after years of uncertainty and weeks of questioning from Channel 9.
VIDEO: Mayor Lyles asks permission to build new home in historic McCrorey Heights
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/10-11-2023/t_bee8eedf17a6483fb0973e094e664498_name_Chopper_Vi_Lyles__House_Demo_frame_7735.jpeg)
©2023 Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/cmg/c5886c01-38e6-4a0b-b72a-29c2e9ff23e5.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LB3KNEQWSBBFDMOUWMXSJLSV2U.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/RPN5TVSZLNF3VKJ5TSNOMMUV5E.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/VCN2YGJSQRELHGHOOZHNKYG33Q.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/KPLD2RRVKVCKZGI5A7I4HPEVOM.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/2FYUK6NLJNBS7D6MLO34UGH65Q.jpg)