WeBuild Concord Transforms 100-Year-Old Church Into Attainable Housing Near Emerging Arts District

WeBuild Concord transformed a long-vacant historic church into 13 attainable apartments near Concord’s emerging Arts District.

CONCORD, NC, UNITED STATES, July 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A historic Concord church that sat vacant for more than two decades is getting a second life as attainable housing.

WeBuild Concord will celebrate the ribbon-cutting of The Sanctuary Apartments, transforming a more than 100-year-old church that sat vacant for over two decades into 13 quality, attainable apartments near Concord’s emerging Arts District.

The opening comes as Kerr Street gains momentum as one of Concord’s key revitalization corridors. Located near Clearwater Arts Center, the Academy-Gibson Park area, and an upcoming bike and skate park across the street, the neighborhood is seeing increased arts activity, recreation planning, small business opportunities, and public investment. The Sanctuary brings attainable housing directly into that momentum, helping ensure local workers and families are part of the area’s growth from the beginning.

“This is an exciting moment for Kerr Street and for Concord,” said Dr. Patrick Graham, CEO of WeBuild Concord. “The Sanctuary Apartments bring new life, new homes, and new opportunity to a corridor that is already building momentum. As this area continues to grow into a destination for arts, recreation, and entrepreneurship, we want residents to feel welcomed, connected, and part of what comes next.”

The Sanctuary Apartments include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments designed to serve local workers, families, and residents seeking an affordable, well-connected home near downtown Concord. With 13 units available, the development is currently leasing and has already generated active interest from prospective residents.

The project reflects WeBuild’s larger vision for neighborhood revitalization: repurposing existing properties, expanding attainable housing, and connecting residents to the economic growth happening around them. By converting a vacant church into attainable housing, WeBuild is creating a local example of how communities can preserve existing assets while responding to urgent housing needs.

The development also challenges outdated perceptions of affordable housing. The Sanctuary includes exposed ceilings, sleek finishes, quartz countertops, soft-close cabinets, and modern, efficient layouts designed to feel polished, comfortable, and permanent.

“This does not look like what people often expect when they hear affordable housing,” Graham said. “That is intentional. We believe quality and affordability should go hand in hand. The people who power our local economy deserve homes built with care, dignity, and long-term value.”

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests will have the opportunity to tour the apartments and see how WeBuild repurposed a long-vacant faith property into a new community asset. To learn more about WeBuild’s available housing opportunities, visit www.webuildconcord.org.

About WeBuild Concord

WeBuild Concord was founded in 2019 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit exempt organization under the original name, Concord Family Enrichment Association (CFEA), to enhance the City of Concord’s housing division. In 2021, the organization’s mission expanded to build attainable homes, expand private and public partnerships, and provide opportunities for residents to achieve stability and wealth under the new name, WeBuild Concord, throughout Concord and Cabarrus County.

WeBuild Concord is an inclusive and fluid model that responds to the specific needs of neighborhoods, economic and community development, and other intersectional factors that impact housing and talent development. We want our residents to live in a community where attainable housing is safe, stable, and part of our social and economic vision.

Dr. Patrick Graham
WeBuild Concord
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