See inside two-story St. Joe church with historic stained glass. It can be yours for $99,000

Joseph Hernandez
·2 min read

Have you ever wanted to buy a church? Now’s your chance.

The Calvary Chapel, a 12,672-square-foot church at 1215 Jules St. in St. Joseph, is on sale by real estate company Re/Max. The listing has been on the website since March 6.

The price for the church 55 minutes north of downtown Kansas City? $99,000.

“The church has beautiful stained glass art windows, fabulous pews and seating, incredible woodwork and very unique layout with hidden doorways,” the listing says.

There is a parking lot on the property that can hold approximately 30 cars. With the lot, the property is 21,780 square feet.

The inside of The Calvary Chapel, 1215 Jules St. in St Joseph. The church is on sale for $99,000 and is listed by real estate company Re/Max.
The inside of The Calvary Chapel, 1215 Jules St. in St Joseph. The church is on sale for $99,000 and is listed by real estate company Re/Max.

What’s the church’s history, and why is it on the market now?

Built in 1891 with exposed brick as the primary building material, the building’s listing says work has been done to the property but that more work is needed.

Lisa G. Rock, the realtor who has the church listed, told The Star the previous congregation moved to a different location seven months ago since they were a small group and could not keep up with the cost of running the church.

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Rock said many of the church’s members are elderly, and they needed a place that was easier for them to get to and from service. The church reached out to her to list it for sale since she specializes in historic properties.

All of the pews, woodwork and stained glass are original and have not been removed. Only one stained glass design is broken, and Rock says it is a minor repair.

The Calvary Chapel, 1215 Jules St. in St Joseph, is on sale for $99,000. The property is 21,780 square feet total, including the building and the church’s parking lot.
The Calvary Chapel, 1215 Jules St. in St Joseph, is on sale for $99,000. The property is 21,780 square feet total, including the building and the church’s parking lot.

What could the church be turned into?

If a buyer is thinking about making changes to the church, the listing gives a few ideas for remodeling:

  • Restaurant

  • Brewery

  • Children’s indoor playground

  • A home

  • Book store

  • Entrepreneur Center

  • Museum

  • Winery

But if you are thinking of making Calvary Chapel your own, there is some work you’ll need to do. Rock said the church needs a new roof. She also added that the building needs new plumbing, but several plumbing companies have already bid on making the fixes.

“It just needs a lot of love again,” she said.

Other businesses and restaurants in the area are River Bluff Brewing, Norty’s Bar and Grill and Geneo’s Pizza and Pub. The church is also four minutes from Civic Center Park and St. Joseph City Hall.