City council de-designates part of historic church property paving way for development

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte city leaders are paving the way for the development of a property where a historic church sits.

On Monday night, council members decided to take away the historical designation for part of the Steele Creek Presbyterian site. Some who live in the area aren’t happy about it.

“We’re concerned about losing our history, our rich history,” said Stephanie Lasne, a community leader for Steeleberry Acres.

Lasne lives in the neighborhood adjacent to the church property. She and dozens of others showed up to the council meeting  in lime green shirts, which read “Save Steeleberry Acres.”

“Our only voice tonight is us showing up in solidarity,” she said.

The airport owns Steele Creek Presbyterian. The piece of land in question is 23 acres. A company called Foundry is going to develop it. Officials are partnering with the non-profit ‘She Built This City’, which will use the sanctuary as its headquarters.

Lasne and others have concerns about preserving possible gravesites on the land. The aviation director for the airport listed several studies done in the past two decades, all of which did not find conclusive evidence that there are any graves on the property.

Foundry representatives have said they’re not going to make changes to the cemetery or church building on the property.

Steeleberry Acres residents said there’s some distrust because crews demolished a home on the property back in August before the council could designate it as historic.

Councilwoman Tiawana Brown has worked closely with the community and defended her decision to move forward with the de-designation.

“I did interviews,” she said. “I’ve driven through Steeleberry. I’ve seen some of the markers. I’ve seen your historic homes. I rode through there myself. I’ve been through Steeleberry. I stand with Steeleberry. It would be fair to say that I don’t care, but it also is something that I need to move forward with based off the information that I have seen.”

Those opposed were disappointed in the outcome.

“This is not what the residents want,” said Lasne. “We’ve been told it doesn’t matter what you guys think. We can do whatever we want with property we own.”

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