Historic Chapel at McClellan to be moved

The McClellan Development Authority agreed Tuesday to pay to relocate the historic Piney Wood Chapel — less than a month after giving the building to the Calhoun County Commission. McClellan officials say the move is necessary to make way for possible economic development on the property.

The MDA agreed in September to take the chapel off a demolition list to give community leaders time to save it. Previously, the plan was to leave the World War II-era, 3,700-square-foot chapel in place, where the county and community leaders could spend money to renovate it. Instead, the MDA will move the building to Cane Creek Community Garden at McClellan.

The commission and Alabama Power have each pledged $10,000 toward renovating the chapel.

MDA officials said that plans for the chapel changed after the Calhoun County Economic Development Council recently exercised an option to buy 16 acres at McClellan where the building sits. The council bought 58 acres of land at the former fort in 2013 with the option to buy the additional 16 acres near Berman Road if needed.

Don Hopper, director of the development council, said that his organization plans to build a speculative building on the property it currently owns and needs the extra acres in case there’s a need to expand. Hopper said bidding on the construction on the 30,000- square-foot building will begin in a few weeks.