Former churches retain purpose with new businesses

Richard Casper drove by an abandoned church on Robertson Avenue on his way to work each day. Eyeing the space for his nonprofit CreatiVets, he asked the city if it was available several times over the past eight years.

“We need to find a place that could be our forever home,” he told the board, pitching the 5701 Robertson Ave. space as an example. The 2013-founded nonprofit serving veterans was outgrowing its 12th Avenue South space in conjunction with fellow nonprofit Operation Stand Down. Just a few days after he said as much, a for-sale sign popped up at the former Richland Baptist Church, which had dissolved in 2017.