When the congregation at St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City decided to expand the footprint of their campus by purchasing property adjacent to the church on South Central Avenue, they encountered crumbling foundations and other deferred maintenance issues in the two homes included in the purchase. Much to their surprise, however, they found more than just decades of wear and tear. They also found beautiful materials in the old homes, especially in the one formerly known as the Lunch Bunch – that made the purchase even sweeter.

“We weren’t sure what we would do with the property once we had it. We knew we needed a level parking lot and a porte-cochere to provide a covered entrance to the church. We consulted with architectural historians who told us the Lunch Bunch house really had no significant architectural value. We decided to renovate the smaller house to use as a rectory where parish priests and their families could live,” said the Rev. Rob Iler, rector at St. James.