The 102-year-old Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown St. Petersburg is for sale following the congregation's vote to sell the historic property | Trinity Lutheran Church

After more than a century in downtown St. Pete, Trinity Lutheran Church will put its historic property at 401 5th Street North up for sale.

The decision to sell, which was recently approved by the required two-thirds majority of the congregation, follows the church's 2025 merger with Hope Lutheran Church.

It will allow the congregation to bring all worship services and ministries together at Hope’s campus on 62nd Avenue North in the Meadowlawn neighborhood.

“The building is 100 years old. The congregation is 115,” Pastor Paul Gibson told St. Pete Rising. “Churches are about the people and about the impact they make on the community.”

“This decision is not about leaving behind our past, but about faithfully embracing our future,” Gibson added. “By bringing our congregation together in one location, we can focus our time, resources, and energy where they matter most – on strengthening our ministry, serving our neighbors, and continuing to share God's love for many years to come.”

The 0.45-acre property is located on the corner of 4th Avenue North and 5th Street just east of The Coliseum in downtown St. pete | google maps

The 0.45-acre property, located just east of The Coliseum, includes a 10,000-square-foot Gothic Revival sanctuary, a 14,442-square-foot education building, and 13 on-site parking spaces. The church owns an additional parking lot across 5th Street North.

Last year, the congregation successfully sought local historic landmark designation for the sanctuary, recognizing its architectural significance and role in St. Petersburg's history.

The sanctuary is also a contributing resource within the National Register Downtown St. Petersburg Historic District.

Those protections make demolition of the church itself unlikely and require city review of exterior alterations.

The historic church features seating for more than 400 worshippers | Trinity Lutheran Church

The vote to sell the downtown property concludes years of discussion about the future of Trinity's downtown campus.

The congregation first considered selling the property about two years ago.

While a majority of members supported the proposal, it failed to receive the two-thirds vote required under the church's governance.

This year, after two more years of discussion and reflection, the proposal was approved by the required two-thirds majority.

“It wasn't really a debate,” Gibson said. “It was about separating the emotion from the hard, cruel facts.”

Those realities included declining membership, mounting maintenance needs, and a building that had become increasingly expensive to operate.

Designed by St. Louis architect E.R. Froese and built by contractor Victor A. Boeke, the Gothic Revival sanctuary was completed in 1924 | Trinity Lutheran Church

When Gibson arrived at Trinity in 2014, he was committed to making the downtown campus work.

Like many churches across the country, however, Trinity saw attendance decline while maintenance needs continued to grow.

The congregation relied on investment income to help cover operating costs and sold parking lots over the years to help make ends meet.

Eventually, Gibson said, maintaining the century-old property had become more of a liability than an asset.

Ironically, when merger discussions began with Hope Lutheran Church last year, Gibson assumed Trinity's downtown campus would remain the congregation's permanent home.

Instead, church leaders concluded that Hope's Meadowlawn property offered the congregation its best opportunity to thrive.

Original Trinity Lutheran Church at the corner of 2nd Avenue South and 5th Street South in downtown St. Petersburg | City of St. Pete

Unlike the multi-story downtown church, the Meadowlawn campus is entirely on one level, offers ample parking, and provides room for future growth.

Today, Trinity has roughly 120 to 150 members, with weekly worship attendance averaging between 70 and 80 people.

Founded in 1911 by nine Lutheran families, Trinity Lutheran Church is the oldest Lutheran congregation on Florida's west coast.

The congregation first met above Ramm's Garage before outgrowing the space and launching an ambitious building campaign in 1922.

Designed by St. Louis architect E.R. Froese and built by contractor Victor A. Boeke, the Gothic Revival sanctuary was completed in 1924.

Stained-glass windows imported from Munich, Germany, are displayed above the altar at Trinity Lutheran Church. | Derek Kilborn

It features stained-glass windows imported from Munich, Germany, a 60-foot bell tower, and seating for more than 400 worshippers.

At its peak, Trinity held three Sunday services and counted attendance in the thousands.

Beyond worship, Trinity helped establish several Lutheran congregations throughout the region, assisted refugees settling in St. Pete, helped launch senior housing communities, and for decades has hosted recovery meetings, food programs, and other community services.

In more recent years, Trinity became known as one of the area's more progressive congregations.

Gibson became the region's first openly gay Lutheran pastor when he accepted the call in 2014, and the church has emphasized welcoming people of all backgrounds while continuing traditional Lutheran worship.

A 1926 photograph of Trinity Lutheran Church taken by the Burgert Brothers | City of St. Pete

Foundry Commercial's Carlin Beekman will market the property as "Subject to Offer," allowing prospective buyers to submit offers based on their valuation of the site.

The congregation has not established a timeline for a sale, and any purchase agreement will ultimately require approval by the congregation.

Gibson emphasized that no one will personally profit from the sale. Instead, the proceeds will be reinvested into Trinity's ministry, giving the congregation the resources and flexibility to continue serving the community for generations to come.

For Gibson, the sale marks the end of one chapter—not the congregation itself.

“I really am very optimistic about the future,” he said. “I'm hoping the congregation will get excited about that as well.”