Some things never change — but most things do, and one of the things about to change in Maryville is the way North Main Street looks south of the courthouse square.
The United Methodist Church, 102 N. Main, owns the three buildings fronting the west side of Main Street immediately north of its 116-year-old sanctuary and landmark bell tower. Known locally as Agape House, the old Missouri Theater and the former Best Brands Plus/Radio Shack building, all three structures are slated for eventual demolition.
For now, the theater building and the old Best Brands shop, which happens to be located on the site of the first Nodaway County Courthouse, will remain. But Agape House will soon be, literally, history.
Workers contracted by Madget Demolition of St. Joseph have begun tearing roof timbers and brickwork from the once-ornate structure, which neighbors the church to the north.
David Baird, who chairs the church's Vision Team, a committee charged with property acquisition and development, said United Methodist acquired the one-story building back in the 1960s and "planned to hold it a few years and then demolish it."
"Obviously it's been more than a few years," said Baird, adding that the structure once served as a medical building and the office of Maryville's Family Guidance Center. In recent years, Agape House has been used for Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings, youth ministry programs, Toys for Tots activities and as a polling place.
Baird and United Methodist's pastor, the Rev. Scott Moon, said the church is still considering what it will do with the vacant lot, and ultimately with the rest of its Main Street property after all three buildings are demolished.
Moon said a Vision Ministries Task Force headed by church member Debby Hull is currently studying the matter and will apply at least three criteria before making a recommendation. Those criteria include the needs of the community, the "gifts and ministry of the church" and input from church members.
Baird said the task force is not expected to report back to the church as a whole until early July. For some time after that, it is likely the Agape House lot will simply remain "green space" until the church decides what it wants to build there.
The demolition of Agape House is part of a three-pronged Vision Campaign initiated by United Methodist in August. The campaign's other two goals include retiring $50,000 in debt acquired to purchase the vacant theater and improving accessibility in the main church building, which lacks an elevator.
As for the rest of the block, the congregation is still pondering "development to meet ministry needs in the future," Moon said. But whatever the faith community decides, one thing is certain: The remaining two structures will eventually come down.
Neither structure is currently in condition to house people or programs, Moon said, and rehabilitating the buildings to meet current building codes and safety standards is financially unfeasible.
Baird said the church has been told by experts both buildings have structural problems that are beyond repair.
"There are structural integrity issues," he said. We had engineers look at them, and they indicated that removal is the only viable alternative."
Maryville, Mo. —
