Iconic Paradise Valley church to be torn down to make way for luxury homes
Could aging churches possibly provide some salvation for the housing crisis? As repair bills loomed at Ascension Lutheran Church in Paradise Valley and its air conditioning conked out, it saw the developers circling and decided to sell. The church got $11 million in cash that it says it’ll use for doing good works in the community, while luxury homes will be developed on the 5.3-acre lot. The town’s extreme zoning laws mandate at least one acre per home, but this could have broader ramifications if other religious congregations make similar decisions, such as the plan for Mercy Hill Church in Phoenix to sell to multifamily developers.
