The winter and spring business at many of the hotels is now more profitable than the summer business.”[6] Francis Hemsley had retired to Atlantic City “in the early 70’s for the benefit of his health” before his death in 1882.

In 1886, the vestry, seeking a more central and convenient location bought ground at Pacific and Kentucky Avenues and with the advice and consent of the canonical authorities removed the frame chapel thither adding an annex for Sunday school purposes.

J. H. Townsend became rector December 1, 1891, and laid the corner stone of the present edifice April 27, 1893, which was completed by the liberal offerings of resident and transient worshippers and opened for use May 13, 1894.

This structure was designed by Mr. Lindley Johnson is in the Spanish Renaissance style and is a good example of a commodious yet inexpensive hard material building well adapted to the varying needs of this population and climate.

[9] In 1900, the Church of the Ascension parish house and auditorium were designed and constructed, possibly by Lindley Johnson, who was still in active practice at the time.

The parish house and auditorium, which ran north along Kentucky Avenue from the rear of the church, were executed in a manner meant to balance and unify the original composition through identical coloration and materials.

In 1922, the eminent Philadelphia-based ecclesiastical architect Frank Rushmore Watson completed improvements to the chancel, which include the addition of four D’Ascenzo Studios stained glass windows.

The chimes were given by the Hemsley family, and Miss Josephine Fletcher organized and directed the boys’ choir which took part in the first service, held Whitsunday May 13, 1894.

The same year also saw the construction of the parish hall buildings as well as the beginnings of St. Augustine's and All Saints’ Chapels, starting the realization of Father Townsend's dream of Ascension as mother church.

In this time of citywide transition, the Church of the Ascension offers an enduring message: ‘with God’s help, we shall be of even greater service to the community: to His great glory.

He said an engineering firm determined in mid-2014 that the condition of the church, specifically the bell tower, 'presented a danger to the community' and that 'to make it safe, inhabitable and up to code would take a minimum of $2.5 million.