VACANT AND/OR UNDERUTILIZED RELIGIOUS PROPERTIES IN MARYLAND: ENVISIONING HEALTHY PLANNING TRANSITIONS

Abstract

This report presents the work of the Fall 2025 University of Maryland URSP 708 Community Planning Studio, examining the challenges and opportunities associated with vacant and underutilized religious properties in Maryland. Declining religious participation, aging facilities, and increasing financial pressures have placed significant strains on religious institutions, while creating opportunities for adaptive reuse and community-serving redevelopment. Through contextual research, literature review, site and market analyses, planning and design evaluations, and community engagement, the Studio examined three religious properties in Prince George’s County: Carolina Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Washington, Church of the Living God in Adelphi, and St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in New Carrollton. Working with church partners and community stakeholders, students evaluated existing development proposals and developed alternative strategies that respond to each institution’s mission, site conditions, financial capacity, and surrounding community needs. Recommendations include integrating supportive and affordable housing with workforce development, creating wellness-oriented and intergenerational communities, improving pedestrian accessibility, and combining affordable housing, worship facilities, resilience infrastructure, and complementary commercial uses within mixed-use developments. Across the three case studies, the findings emphasize the importance of balancing mission-driven development with financial feasibility, regulatory constraints, environmental considerations, and meaningful community engagement. The report highlights the role of religious institutions as community anchors and potential mission-driven developers, demonstrating how context-sensitive planning, strategic partnerships, and integrated land uses can support sustainable transitions that benefit both congregations and their surrounding communities.