First Christian tower repair nominated for national award

A renovation project at an iconic downtown Columbus church has been nominated for a national award.

According to the Landmark Columbus Foundation, the project to restore the tower at First Christian Church has been nominated for this year’s DOCOMOMO US Modernism in America Awards. The awards celebrate projects that advance the understanding and preservation of modern architecture.

The church and tower were designed by architect Eliel Saarinen in 1942 and it is recognized as one of the first Modernist church designs in the United States. However, a 2019 assessment of its condition found significant cracking, delaminating of the veneer, rust and other problems.

The repairs were completed in 2023, in a $3.2 million project that included community donations, and grants from the National Fund for Sacred Places, the National Parks Service, and the Jeffris Family Foundation.

Organizers at the Landmark Columbus Foundation congratulated “the partners, craftspeople, and community members who made this possible.”

The awards ceremony will be this evening in Chicago.