In December 2018, the Magnolia Presbyterian Church caught fire days before their Christmas Eve and Christmas services.
In the Cultural Heritage Board’s meeting this Wednesday, the church is asking for the approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness to finally rebuild its sanctuary. Established 142 years ago, the church’s presence in Riverside is nearly as old as the city, which was founded only nine years before the church. Since the fire, the congregation has been meeting for services in a fellowship hall – an original fixture on the property.
The preliminary plans for construction mention a 7,054 square-foot building in nearly the same location as the destroyed sanctuary which was built in 1965. The proposed, Mid-Century Modern design is said to be influenced by the previous building.
