Bricks and stone near the very top of our 100-year-old Tower have come loose due to deteriorating mortar. Architects and engineers who specialize in stone and masonry inspected the tower thoroughly in 2022 and found that moisture had seeped in, corroding the iron infrastructure, and weakening the brickwork. As a precaution, an orange-colored restraining band of construction grade plastic was installed until repairs can be made. Our cast bronze bells have not been rung since, out of a sense of caution. They will ring again once repairs are complete.

In 2023, Owen-Ames-Kimball, the contractor that built our building in 1922-23, and Quinn Evans — a firm specializing in restoration work on historic buildings — recommended that repairs be done immediately. Total fees, including a contingency, will cost $2.3 million, and a construction timeline of nine months was established. Once complete, the repairs will last for many decades. In December 2023, the Governing Board voted to authorize a capital campaign to fund this project. As of early May, scaffolding is being erected to provide construction access.

A capital campaign raises money for special projects not funded by an organization’s operating budget. Throughout our history, FSC has held periodic capital campaigns to address building repairs or improvements. These include adding basement classrooms and our chapel to the Church House, restoring our stained-glass windows, replacing the tiled roof, renovating the Keeler Lounge and gallery space, adding the elevator and accessibility ramps, and installing the newest version of our world-class pipe organ. The most recent capital campaign raised funds for a new heating and air conditioning system. Each time, congregants stepped up to fund these special projects. This time, it’s our turn.

The good news is that roughly one third of the total needed has already been secured or pledged. Funds came from a generous anonymous donor, from the sale of land donated by Anita Gilleo, and from Fountain Street Church’s Foundation. We’re off to a great start!

Another third must be raised by congregants and friends of Fountain Street Church. Friends of FSC include historic preservation organizations, local charitable foundations, and generous individuals in West Michigan and beyond who hold Fountain Street Church in high regard.

There’s more good news. As members and friends of Fountain Street Church give to the capital campaign, the church's Foundation will match donations dollar for dollar, up to $800,000.

If we all contribute, we can do this!

In 1920, when Fountain Streeters were designing their new building, a bond issue to fund a civic auditorium and a World War I memorial failed to pass. In response to this defeat, the congregation decided to add a war memorial room to the main floor of the Bell Tower and to dedicate the Tower to the perished veterans of WWI. They also expanded the size of the sanctuary to accommodate 1,600 theater seats.

Our building was, in effect, a gift to the community — one that is still valued today. FSC remains a popular venue for concerts, lectures, and other public events. Our Keeler art space and ArtPrize venue serves the art community. Our doors open for graduations, weddings, and memorials, especially for those without a religious affiliation.

At the advanced age of one hundred, our masonry tower is part of the city’s skyline. And, as a designated historic landmark, it may qualify for preservation funding.

Fountain Street Church with its iconic Bell Tower, has earned the respect and loyalty of many community leaders as a center for free speech and progressive social action. Several major donors have already expressed an interest in learning more about this capital campaign.