"The church was completed around the turn of the century," said Project Designer Mark Treon of Ziger/Snead in Baltimore, MD. "Half [of the building] was a sanctuary and the other half was used as a Sunday school. Between the two buildings was a space with big sliding doors." The designer explained that the church was built by a local architect, George C. Haskell, who had designed about 20 other buildings in the Baltimore area. "He was a notable architect for that time," said Treon.
According to the designer, the fire started on the first floor in the middle of the building. "The original fire damage was to the roof and a lot of stained glass," he said. "The fire blew out the stained glass, so the church was very open to the elements. A lot of rain and snow got in there, and birds were living in it."