First Covenant Church is nearing completion on $450,000 in renovations to the building at Pike and Summit, and the congregation has plans to rent the large space for community uses.

“Until we figure out what ministry is going there – if a ministry is going there – we’re going to rent out the space,” said Cinda Madonna, Coordinator of Ministerial Operations for the church.

There is still some work to do to the parking garage before the space can be rented out, but the church hopes to start by mid-October.

The church is one of the oldest religious congregations on Capitol Hill. The largely-Swedish congregation moved to Pike and Bellevue over 100 years ago, and the current Tabernacle at Pike and Bellevue was completed in 1911. The church purchased the parking garage next door in the 1960s and has leased the commercial space.

When University Honda/Yamaha closed about two years ago, the congregation, with community input, decided to make the 12,000 sq feet of space available for a variety of uses, both by the community and the church. Ministerial ideas have ranged from a food bank to children’s services, said Church Council Chair Donna Larson.

“We’ll be diligent about not reinventing the wheel,” said Larson, and the church will try to find a use that will work for the neighborhood and meet its needs.

City codes required many renovations to both the indoor space and the parking lot, many of which are nearing completion. The large space has a capacity of 360 people (likely 250 comfortably with tables), and the conference room can fit 25-38 depending on configuration. With acoustic panels on the walls and exposed ducts and lights on the ceiling, Madonna said they are going to an “industrial chic” look.

Pricing for the spaces has not yet been determined, but Madonna said there would likely be a discount for nonprofits. The church hopes to have more details hammered out later this month. The church’s pastor Mark Nilson left this week to move to Chicago, so things have been a little hectic, said Madonna.

Across the street, the Northwest School is preparing plans for its new gym and dining facility after acquiring the E Pike parking lot in May 2010. No timetable for that construction has yet been made public.