Lowell Heights-Olivet National Register Nomination and site plans

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 Lowell Heights-Olivet African Methodist Episcopal Church St. Joseph County, IN Name of Property County and State Section 7 page 8 The second story features a balcony with tiered seating overlooking the nave above the narthex in the east end of the building (photo 0011). Staircases flank the balcony and lead down to the narthex on its north and south sides. Balconies with shaped openings overlooking the nave are also located in the second story of the transepts and are accessed by staircases on their west side (photo 0013). Classrooms are located in the northwest and southwest corners of the building and are accessed by the staircases off their east side. The north classroom features a fireplace centered in its south wall (photo 0016). A narrow hallway connects the two classrooms along the west edge of the second story (left side of photo 0017, behind the pipe organ). Small closets are off the second story landings in the west end of the building. The north staircase (photo 0014) continues up to a small mezzanine level that includes a toilet room and small closet. Many of the rooms in the second story have ceilings that are raked on their outside edges with the eaves (best seen in photo 0017). The raised basement features a large fellowship hall below the nave. A raised stage is in the east end of the basement (photo 0019). It has a hallway leading from the fellowship hall to a staircase on its south side and a storage room on its north side. A doorway is between the stage and storage room. There are two classrooms under each transept off the west half of the fellowship hall. These were originally open to the hall, possibly enclosed with curtains, but now walled-off with block. Doorways in the northwest and southwest corners of the fellowship hall lead to staircases in the west end of the building. Two serving counters/windows are centered in the west wall of the fellowship hall (photo 0018). It accesses the kitchen in the west end of the building, below the choir loft. Toilet rooms are located in the northwest corner of the basement and are accessed from the stairwell on the north side of the church (photo 0020). A mechanical room is located in the southwest corner of the building and is accessed from the stairwell on the south side of the church. The building has carpets throughout most of the first and second stories. The narthex features small brick-colored tile on its floor. The balconies, second story classroom in the northwest corner, fellowship hall and stage feature maple plank flooring (photos 0013, 0019). The bathrooms and kitchen feature modern tile or vinyl flooring. The building has plaster walls and ceilings throughout except where new concrete block walls were created to enclose classrooms in the basement. Tall wood wainscot is located on the narthex, nave and transept walls (sans balconies, photos 0006-0008). The west wall of the nave and back wall of the choir loft have painted stenciling in gold and light blue (photo 0012). The pastor’s office features modern (c. 1970) wood paneling on its walls (photo 0010). The plaster ceiling in the narthex has broad barrel vaulting with arches over the main entry and staircases (photo 0006). The nave’s ceiling is steeply-pitched and covered with wood. Open trusswork resting on pilasters along the nave’s north and south walls and purlins support the ceiling (best seen in photo 0011). The pilasters feature corbels and Doric capitals on which the trusses rest. The transept balconies are likewise supported by corbels on the pilasters. The balcony walls have simple moldings to create a large panel on their front walls and are capped with wood (photo 0013). The ceilings in the basement toilet rooms and pastor’s office are composed of dropped acoustic tiles in metal grids.