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CHURCHCONTINUED FROM Page 1ASeller: Hall ‘betterneighbor’ as churchIts owners were working to build Saengerhalle into a live music venue and hoped to sell it to someone whowould continue in thatdirection.“It’s a great historic bar and dance hall, and it's beenan excellent dance location,” Edwards said severalmonths ago when the property was for sale. “Saengerhalle is just looking for the person who has the vision of making it a great dance hall. It’s a real boot-scootin’place. The nostalgia just runs from it. It just needs someone with the mindsetto make it go.”Ultimately, the folks with that vision and mindset —as well as the best offerwould be the antithesis ofsaloon, dance hall or honky-tonk operators.They would be the 70-plusmembers of a congregationthat has outgrown the modest building on FM 306 that held their church.Sunday morning attendance at the Church ofChrist averages about 70people, said Evangelist Lynn Parker. Their current building also lacks classroomspace.“We’ve been having to putchairs in the aisles,” Parker said. “We needed toexpand.”Saengerhalle, Parker said,is a “beautiful old building. “I like old, historical buildings,” he said. “Of course, I don’t frequent dance halls or bars. And some things will have to be removed thatwere peculiar to the former business.”Jerry Parker, no relation, has been working to remove the bar, prepare an office, classrooms and accommodations for the church auditorium.Outside, Church of Christ has made the new management known on the marquee restored by Chase and Jones.Saengerhalle has been around for a while. It wasbuilt in 1959 on land donated to the German singingsocieties by farmer Gilbert Becker, who was also asinger and director in one of the old singing clubs.It was built of wood salvaged from a number of former World War II barracksbuildings moved here from Fort Sam Houston.The singing societies formed a nonprofit corporation to run the hall, whichwas used sort of as a civiccenter for meetings,songfests, dances and otherevents such as weddings,receptions, anniversaries and meetings.The hall was sold in themid-1990s, and its ownersbegan offering local and Texas music as well asAmericana events.In 2002, Chase and Jonesbought it and worked to make it a live music venue.They dropped a hefty hunk of change in doing it, restoring the original sign, upgrading the backstage area and PA system and adding an expansive outside deck. The “tons and tons” ofair conditioning made thePhotos by MIRANDA LAINE/Herald-ZeitungTyler Heimburger, a member of the Church of Christ at New Braunfels, removes colored stage lights from the Saengerhalle ceiling as he and members of the church renovate the building.uary or July — and allowedChase and Jones to lay claim to having “ the coolest dance hall in texas.”Before the sale closedTuesday, there were zoning issues to be worked out.Council members questioned how high the building should be allowed to be situated in what is becoming a residential area — an important issue if, say. a church wished to erect asteeple.Edwards wasn’t thrilled by the zoning troubles.“It’s not like we had neighbors,” Edwards said Friday. “We were in the middle of afield. 1 think when we lookat those things, it’s easy to be highly restrictive. Sometimes it’s harder to havecommon sense and logic.Chase wasn’t happy, either.“I respect their intentions and their authority,” he said. “What I do not respect iswhen they make decisionsand act in ignorance.”The sale finalized,Edwards acknowledged things would be much different at what was onceSaengerhalle.“It’s a different use thanpeople thought, and we’ve iiad reactions both ways, Edwards said. “Some people say it’s a good way to get rid of a bar — just buy it. That’sgood. The church is growing, and that’s positive. I think there are people who are sad a piece of history has changed in use.”Chase noted the agave plant that bloomed at Saengerhalle this week. The church would bloom thereas well, he said, andSaengerhalle’s closure would not be an ending.“We wanted nothing more than to be good stewards of Saengerhalle, its history and of the fact it was dedicatedto music and to people who make music, Chase said.Even in that spirit, Chasesaid, .Saengerhalle has seen many changes over the years dating back to its early German heritage. He is quite certain, he said, that when Saengerhalle made its first transition into a livedance venue it raised eyebrows as such a departurebuilding comfortable in Jan- from the facility’s history.Saengerhalle was a popular concert stop for Americana musicians such as Wade Bowen.Saengerhalle’s renovation into a church does have onething in common with its earlier use.“What really was its heritage was just being a great place for people to gather and share time with eachother,” Chase said.As long as it continues to offer that opportunity, its use will still be true toSaengerhalle’s heritage, he said.“Would we have liked it tocontinue as a live musicvenue?” Chase asked.Absolutely. But the city’s growing that way rapidly, and houses are circling the place. Ultimately, I think, Saengerhalle will be a better neighbor as a church than as a dance hall. We’veenjoyed it, and it’s a great place. I think it has a great future.Not even a week after thesale, Chase was nostalgic.For those who will missu* Minimum purchase of $ 1,299 with a payments are paid on time as agreed aCottage BedroomBlack finish on select wood scNickel plated bed includes heList Price $1129.98 92 72 53/54Dresser MirrorNight StandFull BedKing Bed$999.99299.99499.99799.99.NX*r.SC’. ...i-^. *rMonday-Friday 9-8Saturday 9-6Sunday 1-5'Subject to credit approval Offer does nc purchase at a maximum APR of 2L8%, b occurred Throughout the year advertisecW E ' L
Newspaper Details
New Braunfels Herald Zeitung
New Braunfels, Texas, US
Sun, Jul 16, 2006
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
San A.
Texas, USA 29 Sep 2020
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