The Bridge Church will move into Carolina Farmin' space

The Carolina Farmin building located off Market Street in Wilmington, N.C. Friday May 9, 2014.

A new church should open on Market Street in Wilmington this fall.

Less than two weeks after property owners talked about wanting to fill the vacant building near Carolina Heights that most recently housed Carolina Farmin', church members signed a lease for part of the property.

John Sutton, owner of the building on the 2100 block of Market Street, said the site will soon be home to The Bridge Church.

"We're a church that embraces culture and loves the city," said Ethan Welch, pastor of the new church.

Welch said he and his family found the church's future home when his daughter needed to use the bathroom one day while the family was out running errands.

Stopping at Port City Java on Market Street, Welch took notice of the vacant building behind the coffee shop.

"I had seen the building once before, but I didn't know anything about it." he said.

As his wife and daughter went inside, Welch saw construction crews standing outside the building and he started a conversation.

The church will occupy 8,551 square feet of the 14,000-square-foot space. Welch said the church will feature an open lobby entry and take up the back half of the structure.

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The Bridge Church will move into Carolina Farmin' space