THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 13, 1995 TAG: 9510120113
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
The Rev. Paul C. Bailey felt a little awkward after the deal closed. Maybe, he thought, the property was not best associated with his Virginia Beach United Methodist Church.
But there it was, the Cafe 17 go-go bar, a little joint on 17th Street where for a few bucks women in bikinis will shake and wiggle to the delight of patrons.
``We had to assume their contract so we have to make good on it,'' said a slightly chagrined Bailey. ``You just can't turn a company out. We can't do anything about it as long as it's in effect, but it's not a long-term thing either.
``It is sort of ironic to think that a church has a property with a go-go bar in it,'' said Bailey.
The building that houses the bar and an adjoining property, home to Ernie's Locksmith Service and the upstairs Fire Escape, were purchased by the church on May 1 and June 1 as part of an ongoing project to plan for future parking.
Negotiations are under way for the purchase of a third parcel, a parking lot that is directly behind the bar. Church officials expect the deal to close some time this month.
The buying spree is based on an assumption: One day the city hopes to develop the site of the former Dome on the west side of Pacific Avenue. When it happens, the church will lose some valuable parking space.
``There is no on-street parking for us,'' Bailey said. ``Without some parking, we're not able to survive, so we have to have off-street parking.''
The church has two parking lots of its own, one adjacent to the church and one across 19th Street, but they're small. To add a little space, the church rents space from the city.
During the summer months, the church pays the city $2 per car to park in the nearby city lot. Last year, the arrangement cost the church $2,442, said Ed Twine, business manager of the 2,400-member church.
The two parcels already purchased have cost the church, which is Tidewater's largest United Methodist congregation, $461,506 and the last deal could run close to $150,000.
``It's simply better to hedge bets,'' Bailey said of the costly real estate purchase. ``Should something come in over there and parking is not available, then we would need an alternative plan.''
The church does not have immediate plans to demolish the buildings, but officials there say it's only a matter of time before they must be torn down.
While the land was expensive, the church itself has grown over the years, and so has its budget. In 1985, Twine said, the budget was about $463,000. Today it stands at $1,161,000.
``That give you an idea of the growth and the cost of growth,'' Twine said.
On any given Sunday, the church welcomes about 800 people to services, which have increased recently. Last month, the church began offering a fourth service, this one on Saturday evening.
In addition to regular services, the church has a partnership with Star of the Sea Catholic Church to provide assistance to the homeless.
``They help out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and we do it on Tuesday and Thursday,'' Bailey said. ``And we have a large group of people who meet on Monday and Friday for Alcoholics Anonymous.''
The irony of a church owning a building that houses a go-go bar is compounded when considering the Fire Escape. Created in 1976, the Fire Escape has served a variety of missions, from feeding the homeless to providing a Christian oriented social hall.
``The purpose of Fire Escape is to spread the Gospel of Jesus through music and to provide a fun place for Christian singles, teens and military to go to,'' said Barbara Gelnett, who helps run the Fire Escape.
Gelnett, a physical education assistant at Trantwood Elementary school, said she does not know when the building will be demolished.
Gelnett said she would like to move her operation to the Old Seaside Market on Pacific Avenue at 23rd Street; the owners want more money than the Fire Escape's board of directors is willing to pay.
``We'll be there until Nov. 15,'' she said. ``Now we're just there for a couple of months at a time. I think it is scheduled to be demolished in about two years, so we need to find a new place as soon as possible and right now nothing is looking up.'' ILLUSTRATION: STAFF [MAP]
Virginia Beach United Methodist Church has parking adjacent to its
sanctuary and also owns a parking lot on the north side of 19th
Street. Church officials plan to add parking on property between
17th and 18th streets.
by CNB