A Kohl’s closed in 2016 and sat empty for nearly a decade; $28 million later, the 80,000-square-foot store is becoming a place for church and community.

A former Kohl’s department store that sat vacant along Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell, Georgia, for nearly a decade has been converted into an 80,000-square-foot church and multi-use event venue after a $28 million redevelopment project. Eagles Nest Church, a nondenominational congregation that operated for more than 14 years without a permanent building, purchased the 15-acre retail site in December 2022 for $13 million. Since then, the total investment has increased to approximately $28 million to dismantle the former big box store and rebuild its interior as a modern campus for worship services and community events.According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and details from a press release distributed through EIN Presswire, the new facility features an auditorium with capacity for more than 1,000 people, areas dedicated to youth education and flexible spaces for different uses. Starting in September 2026, the venue will operate seven days a week and will be available for weddings, graduations, corporate training sessions, conferences and musical performances.

Empty retail store has a new purpose

The large building at 2342 Holcomb Bridge Road originally served local shoppers as a Kohl’s store before closing permanently in 2016. For nearly 10 years, the 80,000-square-foot building sat vacant in the Centennial Village shopping center. The overgrown parking lot was sometimes used by truckers who illegally parked their semi-trailers there. The future of the site changed when Eagles Nest Church purchased the 15-acre property from New York-based real estate company Rothenberg-Rosenfield through its entity ENA Group LLC. Local media Atlanta Daily World reported that the purchase became the first step in a larger 16-acre master plan called The Beacon at East Roswell. The project is being developed with Atlanta real estate firm Regent Partners. The church plans to officially open the new facility on September 6, 2026 with a two-service grand opening called “The CrossOver.” Attendees have been encouraged to wear white to commemorate the occasion.

Pastor brings unusual path to ministry

Eagles Nest Church was founded in 2012 by Senior Pastor Lee Jenkins. Jenkins, a Roswell resident for nearly 25 years, also ran for mayor of Roswell in 2017. His career before the ministry was unusual. Jenkins played college football at the University of Tennessee before being drafted by the New York Giants in the NFL. He later spent 25 years on Wall Street as a wealth manager and vice president of investments at companies such as Morgan Stanley and Raymond James. Jenkins also represented Grammy-winning gospel artists Kirk Franklin and The Winans. In 2009, he wrote a book on personal finance published by Moody Publishers. Speaking about the completion of the new facility in a statement distributed via EIN Presswire, Jenkins said the project had turned a derelict commercial property into a community venue.“This project is about taking something that was empty and bringing it back to life with a purpose,” Jenkins said. “For almost a decade, this building sat empty. Today, it is a place of worship, community and connection.” Jenkins said having a permanent building would also give the church more opportunities to serve the area. “For years, Eagles Nest Church was a church without walls,” Jenkins added. “Now, having a permanent home gives us a greater platform to serve people, strengthen families and impact our city.”

Church moves from temporary spaces to permanent home

The opening of the Holcomb Bridge Road facility ends more than a decade of moves between temporary locations. Atlanta Daily World records show the church began in 2012, when a small founding group met in a ballroom at a DoubleTree hotel. As the congregation grew, services were moved to different locations throughout northern Fulton County. Sunday services were later held in a commercial office park, an indoor entertainment center at Andretti Karting and Games, and finally in the auditorium and gymnasium at nearby Centennial High School. The purchase of the former Kohl’s property gives the church its own worship space while also giving it control of the surrounding commercial land. Future phases of the project, which is being developed with Regent Partners, are expected to bring Class A retail stores, restaurants, family-focused businesses and a dedicated child care facility to the broader shopping center.

The former Kohl’s becomes an example of adaptive reuse

The conversion of the former Kohl’s store reflects a broader trend in American suburbs, where communities and private organizations are finding new uses for large commercial buildings left vacant as shopping habits change. Converting a big box store into a church and community facility comes with challenges and benefits. Architectural plans reviewed during the city permitting process show that contractors almost completely removed the former interior of the retail business. Commercial display floors and dropped ceilings were replaced with acoustic materials, specialized lighting and stronger structural supports for the 1,000-seat auditorium. The large parking area, originally built to serve the busiest Christmas shopping periods, has also been repaved and redesigned to serve church members and people attending events. Commercial real estate records released by Urbanize Atlanta show the $28 million investment includes the purchase of the property and the complete reconstruction of the structure. It is one of the largest private adaptive reuse projects in East Roswell in recent years.

New community venue and future development.

The church plans to use the building for much more than Sunday services. Leaders want it to become a community hub for local businesses, nonprofits and residents throughout the week. Multi-purpose rooms and banquet halls will be available for public reservations beginning in September 2026. Civic organizations, businesses and families will be able to rent the spaces for meetings, training sessions, private events and educational workshops. With the first phase now complete, Eagles Nest Church and Regent Partners are turning to the remaining portions of the 16-acre commercial site. Environmental and site studies are underway to prepare nearby commercial areas for future tenants. The goal is to create a larger development with shops, restaurants and other businesses around the new church and community site.