MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — The Lumpkin family just had a funeral two weeks ago.
“It was for the burial of my brother," Teddy Lumpkin said. "It went really well.”
He says there was only one place to have it.
“We chose the Chapel of All Faiths because it's been an anchor in our community,” he explained.
Birthdays, weddings and baby showers– Lumpkin says the chapel is a go-to option for the south side of Milledgeville.
The church is nestled on the campus of Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, an old insane asylum that opened in 1842. Back in July, Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order that paved the way for tearing down several buildings there citing safety concerns.
The Walker building, the Jones building, the Green building and the Wash building were placed the chopping block.
And right next to the Green building sits the Chapel of All Faiths.
“It's really affordable and it's just a very neutral spot for everybody,” Lumpkin said.
However, that might change.
“The most recent Central State Redevelopment Authority Board meeting, it was noted that the chapel operated at a loss this previous year,” Walter Reynolds said.
He’s the former authority interim chairman and says the current chairman said it cost more to run the building than what it's bringing in. So, selling it came up as a possible solution.
“Selling this place is going to mean higher cost for a population that frankly would be hurt from any higher cost for this public facility,” Reynolds explained.
He says it's long been a convenient and affordable option for its size.
“When you compare that to other venues in the community, it is, oftentimes, half or less than half of what comparable venues are charging,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds says the chapel is one of the buildings in great shape still.
“It doesn’t make sense from a business standpoint to sell the best property you have if the intention is for the adjoining properties are to be redeveloped for future use,” he said.
Reynolds says better marketing, higher rent or transferring the responsibility are better options
“This was built as a gift to the patients of Central State Hospital and the larger community, and it should be maintained as such,” Reynolds said.
The hope would be to keep it a go-to place.
“It's going to take people out of their comfort zone. It's just going to be a hard time for them to try to find somewhere else to go for events," Lumpkin said. "I've been to three or four different events there, so I would love for it to stay where it's at."
Authority chairman, Johnny Grant, says they haven't made a final decision.
He says they will need to market the building better or pass it on to a group that can better manage it.
After Kemp's July executive order, 13WMAZ took a look at the legacy of many of the sites that the governor proposed tearing down. You can check out those stories here: