Econsult Solutions Inc. (“ESI”) was retained by Wharton-Wesley United Methodist Church (“Wharton-Wesley”) to conduct a feasibility analysis of various proposed uses for space at the site. Supported by a design services study performed by Community Design Collaborative and by a pre-development grant from the William Penn Foundation, Wharton-Wesley desires to capitalize on its physical assets and strategic location by housing different community-serving uses within its facility.
This study has trained a critical eye to the market and financial ramifications of different programmatic directions. But it has also remained tethered to the importance of reconciling those perspectives with the importance of hewing to congregation mission and community need. ESI combined primary and secondary research to describe the neighborhood served by Wharton-Wesley, explore the viability of the aforementioned uses in Wharton-Wesley’s space, and suggest the strategies going forward that will best marry congregant mission, community need, and financial viability.
