Watson Grove’s Edgehill campus may see major changes soon. Pastor John R. Faison Sr. announced Wednesday that the congregation has partnered with a national real estate developer, Foundry Commercial, following many historically Black congregations in the area that have been redeveloped or sold outright in the past decade. But Watson Grove’s move is different — the church has outgrown its current site after more than tripling the size of its congregation in recent years.
Rapid gentrification has changed 12South, Belmont and Edgehill from majority-Black, redlined areas in the 1970s to the sought-after real estate today — property dominated by young, white and affluent residents. Faith leaders say new residents have not replaced aging congregants who have died or moved away, forcing the area’s historic Black churches into an existential moment. Wildly popular beverage stop La La Land Cafe replaced Tabernacle Baptist Church after a $5.5 million sale on 12th Avenue South; two blocks away, Greater Christ Temple Church is now a private preschool.
An exodus of historically Black congregations marks the tail end of a long process that has completely changed the neighborhood
Davidson County appraised Watson Grove’s 1.5 acres at $14.5 million last year. Situated just around the corner from bustling Edgehill Village, the site is full of possibilities, and early public statements indicate that the church plans to maintain some ownership over a future project rather than sell its interest outright. In a press release shared Wednesday, Foundry and Watson Grove vow to “ensure a thorough review of all options.”
“Watson Grove is actively evaluating ways to maximize the long-term ministry impact of its property at 1415 DeFord Bailey Avenue,” reads a statement shared with the Scene. “This includes exploring potential sale, ground lease, or joint venture development opportunities, along with other options that would allow the church to remain on site as part of a future development.”
Faison emphasizes that the plan will continue the work of Watson Grove. The 137-year-old congregation moved from its founding site in Una — in southeast Davidson County — to Edgehill in 1956. Since then, it has accommodated a growing congregation with multiple renovations. Since Faison’s arrival in 2012, the church has grown from a few hundred to more than 2,000 congregants. Watson Grove expanded to Franklin in 2019 and credits its success to a focus on youth and pastoral care.
“This just got introduced to y’all, but my board and I, my team, my staff, we’ve been wrestling with this for a long time,” Faison tells the Scene. “We’ve known for a while that we’ve outgrown our space and this move is about exploring what’s possible for us to propel Watson Grove for its next generation. We have never been only a church, we have always been a church and.”
