Shrine Mosque undergoing $1.5M in renovations

Operators of the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque are fundraising their way toward a planned $1.5 million in renovations.

Douglas Pitts, trustee of the nonprofit Shrine Mosque Preservation Association, said the organization has spent $200,000 over the last year and a half to make improvements to the nearly 100-year-old building.

“We want to make sure we can keep that around for another century so future generations can enjoy it,” he said of the building constructed in 1923.

So far, some needed structural work is complete, including roof repairs. Additional funding would be used to completely weatherproof the facility, as well as painting and interior issues such as plumbing and heating.

“It’s a lot of the things you would never see just walking down the street,” Pitts said of the building that serves as the headquarters for local members of Shriners International. “About a year and a half ago, we made the decision to stay in the building.

“We realized what an important piece it is, not just to the Shriners themselves, but to the community at large.”

Pitts said the goal is to finish the volunteer-led renovations by 2023, which marks the structure’s centennial.

To fund the improvements, the Shriners hold fundraising events, write grant proposals and take a portion of profits from events held at the Shrine Mosque.