BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The city of Birmingham has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church concerning an incomplete worship center that had received public funding. The lawsuit stemmed from a halted construction project that was initially supported by a substantial relocation payment to the church by state and local authorities.
In 2014, development plans for a train overpass in the Collegeville area necessitated the relocation of the church’s property. The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) along with the city supported Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church’s relocation with a financial aid package totaling $1.2 million. The city contributed $500,000 to this package and further sold the land required for relocation to the church for a symbolic price of $1.
Construction of the new worship center began but came to a standstill in 2017. After several years of inactivity, in 2022, the city filed a lawsuit against the church citing breach of contract. City attorneys argued that by failing to complete the construction project, the church violated the terms under which it received the land and financial support.
The legal contention centered on whether the church upheld its obligations in exchange for half a million dollars and valuable land. The city pressed to recover the disbursed funds and reclaim the property.
This legal dispute came to a resolution when Judge Jim Hughey announced that an agreement had been finalized, settling all matters between the church and the city. Details of the settlement were not disclosed by either the church’s attorney or the mayor’s office, and it remains unclear what will become of the unfinished worship center.
As per court directives, both parties are required to file a mutual motion to formally dismiss the lawsuit by Dec. 6. These upcoming court documents might shed further light on the outcomes negotiated and the future of the previously planned worship center.
This resolution marks the end of a near-decade-long saga that began with urban development plans impacting a religious institution and culminated in a complex legal battle over contractual obligations and municipal finance.
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