Historic Chapel at McClellan gets reprieve from demolition

Officials at the former Fort Mcclellan Wednesday halted the razing of a World War II-era chapel where soldiers once worshipped, to give concerned residents time to preserve it.

The McClellan Development Authority board voted Wednesday to spare the Piney Wood Chapel while deciding which derelict buildings to demolish next year at the former fort. Board members said they wanted to give more time to some area residents who have expressed interest in preserving the historic building in recent years.

Specifically, the board voted to create an exploratory group of concerned residents to examine options to save the 3,700-square-foot building. Board member Willie Duncan brought the building to the attention of his fellow members because it was one of 10 buildings recommended for demolition in the MDA's 2015 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. To date, the MDA has demolished 117 buildings at a cost of about $1.2 million, mainly to make room for industrial development.