In 2016, local scientist and entrepreneur Bob Johnson purchased the dilapidated First Baptist Church at 190 Main Street in downtown Brattleboro to save it from further deterioration, making interior and exterior renovations to refurbish the stately nineteenth-century cathedral. In addition to creating a gallery for visual art and two performance spaces–the majestic Sanctuary and more intimate Social Engagement Salon–these renovations included building artist studios and making safety and ADA accessibility upgrades, with the vision that this historic building could one day serve as a public place for creative exploration and intellectual discourse.