Cornerstone Church buys land along I-85

By Mark Wineka

mwineka@salisburypost.com

Bill Godair, lead pastor at Cornerstone Church, says his congregation’s purchase of close to 46 acres along Interstate 85 holds many opportunities for the church.

“It really prepares us for good growth in the future,” Godair said Thursday.

A week ago, the church bought 45.88 acres along Interstate 85 at N.C. 152 and U.S. 29. Much of the land — four tracts in all, with some property on each side of I-85 — used to be part of the Whit Wilhelm farm.

China Grove Properties LLC, represented by Gary Propst in the Feb. 18 transaction, sold the tracts to Cornerstone Church for $1.5 million.

Cornerstone Church already has a campus at 315 Webb Road, which includes its Events Center, one of the larger meeting places available in Rowan County.

Last year, the Cornerstone campus drew some interest as possible administrative offices for the Rowan-Salisbury School System. The church proposed selling its Webb Road property at a price between $4.5 million and $5.5 million and offered the school system favorable, no-interest financing over the early years of a loan.

But Gene Miller, assistant superintendent for operations for the school system, said Thursday any purchase of the church property won’t be happening soon.

“It’s still a possibility, but it's not feasible right now because of the money situation,” he said.

Miller said he talked with Godair about the property last month at a Chamber of Commerce legislative breakfast.

“I said it’s something we would consider at the right time, if that right time ever gets here,” he said. “Right now, we don’t have any money to do anything.”

Meanwhile, with its purchase of the I-85 tracts, Cornerstone has several options: It could keep both the Webb Road and I-85 properties, sell the current campus and build a new home on the I-85 site, or resell all or part of the I-85 site.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” Godair said.

He noted the church already has put signs on the I-85 site tabbing it as the future home of Cornerstone Church.

The land carries no structures, and it will be affected by the future widening of I-85. But Godair said the widening should increase the value and convenience of the site. It will include a new ramp immediately next to part of the property, he said.

The church has 1,000 feet of I-85 frontage on one side and 3,000 feet on the other, Godair said.

He also likes that the new site would be part of China Grove, with water and sewer services already available. It is centrally located between Salisbury and Kannapolis/ Concord, and his congregation seems to be evenly divided between members of both areas, Godair said.

The property was “an unbelieveable deal” that the church could not pass up, he added.

In 2010, Cornerstone experienced what Godair called “a record-breaking year” for attendance, averaging 794 people each Sunday. Services this year have seen more than 800 people each Sunday, he said.

Godair said the I-85 land could be home for an even bigger Events Center in the future, depending on what happens with the other church properties and whether such a facility is needed.

Sarah Campbell contributed to this story. Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.