On October 22, 2010, fire ravaged and destroyed the 19th-century Immanuel Chapel on the Virginia Theological Seminary campus, located at Seminary and Quaker Lane, on October 22, 2010.
Established in 1823, the Seminary is one of the oldest educational institutions in Virginia. Many members of the Episcopal clergy were ordained in the chapel. It had also been the site of marriages and funerals.
Former president Gerald Ford, once a Virginia resident, attended services at the chapel, including the Sunday after taking the oath of office.
Now the Alexandria Planning Commission has given its unanimous approval to rebuild the beloved landmark.
The 20,000-square-foot chapel will be certified LEED Silver and boast a 100-foot-tall steeple. There are also approved plans to renovate and build a 900-square-foot addition to Packard-Laird Hall, the Seminary’s welcome center.
The chapel at Virginia Theological Seminary after the 2010 fire.[/caption]
