A former hotel may be transformed into a house of worship in Monroeville.
The shuttered DoubleTree hotel near the mall in Monroeville abruptly closed on Feb. 28 on the heels of the news of the closure of the Monroeville Convention Center.
The hotel has remained closed, and a video was posted on Facebook by Grace Life Church on July 7.
The clip features footage from a public event hosted in Monroeville with a male voice narrating and graphics touting a “huge announcement” of a new East Campus.
The video continues with a male voice narrating, explaining the church originally started in the former hotel with 38 people in 1997.
“As of yesterday we signed a contract to buy this building,” the narrator said.
The video informs viewers the former hotel provides 1,800 parking spaces and “so many different opportunities for future generations.”
But Grace Life Church leaders were mum when asked to provide additional details on the plans for the former hotel.
A receptionist at the entrance of the church’s east campus location in Monroeville on Tuesday said that none of the three church pastors were available to comment.
Joyce Hanz | TRIBLIVE
Grace Life Church’s East Campus photographed at 4761 Williom Penn Highway Tuesday in Monroeville.
According to its website, Grace Life is a non-denominational church led by co-pastors and married couple Buck and Amy Schafer.
The church currently has an East Campus located at 4761 William Penn Hwy. in Monroeville and a North Campus at 4555 McKnight Road in Ross.
The receptionist confirmed Monday that the current East Campus in Monroeville is for sale.
That property is listed for $3.7 million, according to online real estate records.
Attempts to contact the listing agent on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
TribLive previously reported Grace Life’s development plans in 2017.
The church was denied a request to rezone roughly 50 acres of land at their East Campus into an estimated $5 million commercial development complex that would have included a church, private club, ice rink and more.
Monroeville municipal manager Alexander Graziani could not immediately be reached for comment.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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