For nearly 140 years, the grand brick church has anchored the corner of Jefferson Street and Home Avenue.
The structure was a center of spiritual life in the community, a gathering place where generations of residents worshipped, celebrated and socialized together.
The church had been mostly unused for the past six years. But now, the building will thrive once again.
Taxman Hospitality Group, the company behind local mainstay Taxman Brewing Co., has turned the former First Baptist Church into a new event venue. Church of Jefferson offers a 200-person main event space with a stage, balcony and VIP lounge upstairs for weddings, reunions and other large gatherings.
The venue maintains the structure’s most impressive architectural features, such as two-story stained-glass windows and ornate architectural flourishes, while adding modern flourishes and comforts.
“We’re excited. We think there’s definitely a need for a venue like this,” said Nathan Huelsebusch, CEO of Taxman Hospitality Group. “For us, we’ve hosted more than 200 events last year at our Taxman locations, so just to be able to offer an alternative space that’s a larger format for the events we couldn’t host on-site is great synergy for us.”
First Baptist Church in Franklin has been part of the city’s fabric since its early days. The church was organized in 1832, and had met on the site at the corner of Home Avenue and Jefferson Street since 1838.
The grand red-brick sanctuary for the church was built in 1885, and the congregation met inside the building up until 2018. That year, the church announced that the structure was too large for its current needs, and decided to sell it.
Plans for the former church building went through numerous iterations, including options for turning it into condominiums. Horizon Property Group purchased the building and, through a $1 million project, renovated it into an event venue.
“The highest and best use of the space was always an event center. With the sanctuary that was there, it lent itself to large gatherings,” said Derrick Christy, CEO of Horizon Property Group. “But it needed updating and modernization.”
Over the course of the project, the Horizon team revamped the interior, painting the entire structure, installing flooring and adding lighting fixtures. They put in an elevator to move easily among all three floors of the space, and hung 15 chandeliers. New restrooms were added throughout the venue.
With the space redone, Horizon looked for a company to bring the event center to life. Taxman Hospitality Group was an easy choice, Christy said.
“They have improved the quality of life in Johnson County with all of the restaurants they’ve done. They were the clear choice for somebody who understood, not only restaurants, but hospitality,” he said.
Taxman Hospitality Group, which is owned by Huelsebusch and his wife, Leah, is known for multiple businesses around Johnson County. Besides Taxman Brewing, they operate eateries such as Pizza+Libations, Up Cellar and Cellar’s Market in Bargersville.
The company is focused on real estate development, food and beverage concept creation and hospitality management —making opening an event center a logical next step, Huelsebusch said.
“We’re doing a broader expansion with Taxman Hospitality being more than just the Taxman restaurants. We launched a couple new brands last year, and we continue to push out our offerings,” he said.
Within the former church, developers maintained the look and feel of the original sanctuary, starting with the stained-glass windows, high ceilings and the stage. Original pendant lighting hangs from the ceiling in the main hall.
The exterior brick, including the bell tower, has stayed the same.
“They did a beautiful job with the build-out, keeping all the original stained glass. The space itself is kind of a white box, keeping its elegance while keeping the classic details of the church,” Huelsebusch said.
The idea is to host large events such as weddings, corporate retreats and more, Huelsebusch said. The original sanctuary could accommodate more than 200 people, while smaller spaces on the floor can also handle more modest parties.
A fully furnished bride and groom suites ensures maximum comfort and privacy. Taxman will provide catering and a full bar, including its award-winning craft beers.
“Weddings are probably the main thing, but also corporate retreats, receptions and private parties,” Huelsebusch said.
Bookings are currently being accepted through the Church on Jefferson website, and the space had already garnered interest for upcoming events, Huelsebusch said.
“We’re putting the final touches on the space, and we’re ready to go,” he said.
AT A GLANCE
Church on Jefferson
What: A new event venue for weddings, receptions, corporate events and private parties housed in a historic former church constructed in 1885.
Where: 201 E. Jefferson St., Franklin
Who: Taxman Hospitality Group, the company behind Taxman Brewing Company, Taxman Gastropubs, Pizza & Libations, Up Cellar and Cellar’s Market.
Features: A 200-person event space, complete with a stage, balcony and an upstairs 50-person VIP lounge as well as fully furnished bride and groom suites.
Information: www.churchonjefferson.com
