Common Grace to Open Madison Community Center in October

The new Madison facility will feature 26 lower-cost apartments as part of a trend to repurpose local church properties.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Religion — General

Screen-print poster illustration depicting a repurposed brick church building integrated with modern apartment wings in a warm neighborhood setting. — Common Grace will open a new community center in Madison on October 31, featuring 26 apartments to repurpose underutilized church space. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you support converting underused neighborhood buildings like churches into community centers and housing?

Common Grace in Madison will hold a soft opening of its new community center on October 31, 2026. The facility includes 26 lower-cost apartments as part of a project that grew the congregation from 20 to 80 people.

Why it matters

Many congregations are redeveloping underutilized church buildings to address declining attendance rates and high maintenance costs. This strategy allows churches to serve the community while securing a sustainable future for their physical assets.

The development provides 26 lower-cost apartments and is expected to remain funded for 50 to 75 years. Revive Community Development has provided advisory services for similar projects at over 30 churches across Wisconsin.

The players

Common Grace

This Madison-based congregation formed by merging three separate groups and now supports 80 members.

Revive Community Development

Based in Sun Prairie, this organization advises churches on how to redevelop underutilized properties into community hubs.

Eastmorland Community Center

This local organization is expected to become the main tenant for the new community space in Madison.

The details

Common Grace formed through the merger of three separate congregations and partnered with Revive Community Development to manage the property conversion. The Eastmorland Community Center is expected to serve as the primary tenant for the newly created space.

The early 2000s saw 42 percent of the population attend religious services.
A 2024 Gallup poll measured religious service attendance at 30 percent.
Common Grace holds a soft opening of the new community center on October 31, 2026.

Culture Shift

This project reflects a broader societal trend where religious institutions adapt to declining attendance by repurposing legacy real estate for community-focused uses. The move aligns with wider efforts to maintain the viability of church properties while filling local housing needs.

Residents in Madison may gain access to 26 new lower-cost housing units once the facility opens. The project also provides a dedicated space for community activities through the Eastmorland Community Center.

The takeaway

Repurposing underutilized religious buildings offers a path for institutions to sustain themselves while providing social benefits like housing. Communities looking for similar projects should focus on identifying underused land assets that can serve both congregational and public needs.