A historic church hall-turned-gym in Bristol , once used by Commonwealth Games weightlifter Precious McKenzie, is being redeveloped into flats and houses.
Bristol-based property developer The PG Group acquired the site, which fronts Newfoundland Road and has been closed for a number of years, and is now in the process of converting it.
The multimillion-pound regeneration scheme includes 17 apartments, two maisonettes and three terraced homes.
Internal features of the old building, such as the original oak beams, are being retained, according to PG Group, and hand-rolled cathedral glass is being used in all the windows.
PG project manager Greg Gaiger said: “[We are] restoring the building to its former glory.
“The exciting project is a natural progression because the group has almost finished restoring the Newfoundland Road Street scene by building ten homes on the site of the ones destroyed during wartime.”
The building was originally designed by Victorian architect Charles Hanson – the man behind Clifton College – and was built in 1882 as a hall for nearby St Agnes Church.
The hall narrowly missed destruction during the Second World War when bombs demolished a row of houses next door.
Most Read
The site was later turned into a gym and was used by other stars including ice-skater Robin Cousins, Dave Prowse of Star Wars fame and rugby international Gareth Chilcott.
The homes are expected to be completed later this autumn.