Century-Old Tampa Bay Church Renovated into Modern Mansion
Tarpon Springs resident Tony Marterie bought an old church building for $1.25 million, then spent a year and a half meticulously renovating it into “the perfect blend of historic charm and modern luxury.” See it here!
First Baptist Church of Tarpon Springs was established in September 1894. Congregants met at the Bailey School in the Bailey’s Bluff area for 30 years before moving into their gorgeous new building at 160 Read Street in 1926, constructed during Florida’s frenzied land boom.
A new owner took over the church in the 1970s and rented it out to several congregations over the years. He later abandoned it after the ground floor was flooded in a 1993 storm.
The next owner converted it into his personal residence and lived there for six years before putting it up for sale.
In 2022, Tarpon Springs resident Tony Marterie bought the old church for $1.25 million. He spent the next year and a half meticulously renovating it into two homes. According to Marterie, he achieved “the perfect blend of historic charm and modern luxury.” Agreed.
The stunningly renovated Mission-style building has one unit with 3 beds/3.5 baths and another with 2 beds/2.5 baths. Its cleverest design feature is doors on each floor that open to accommodate communal living.
The 4,000-sq-ft garage (!) has room for 12 vehicles and an elevator to the fourth floor. The back of the mansion sports a heated lap pool, outdoor kitchen and cool bell tower serving up views of the bayou.
Spending time here has been described as feeling like you’re vacationing in Italy. Lo adoro!
The 2-unit mansion was put on the market for $6M in August but was taken back off 18 days later.
