THE SANCTUARY

The Sanctuary Lofts project began in 2002 as a boarded-up, decrepit church and Sunday school, located in Tampa’s oldest neighborhood. Through a collaboration with its architect partners, the Sanctuary Lofts were transformed into 36 upscale, residential loft apartments and became eligible for over $700,000 in federal historic tax credits to the developers and partners. The Sanctuary Lofts pose as a classic example of Versaggi Companies historic and award-winning work in adaptive re-use.

The development team successfully created unique, yet contemporary living space, while maintaining the buildings’ cathedral-like grandeur: for example, the distinguished dentil and modillion cornices, classic fluted columns with Corinthian capitals and pedimented gable entrances, as well as the classical round windows with keystones and the original leaded and steeled stained-glass windows.

Because the Sanctuary provides an outstanding example of renovated Greek Revival architecture, it has received not only Hillsborough County’s most prestigious design award in 2004 – the Jan Abell Award for Historic Preservation and Community Development, but also the Florida Preservation Award for 2004.