ASSEMBLY/WORSHIP CENTERS Projects

The renovation to the First Presbyterian Church was conducted in three phases including 9,925 s.f. of classroom space, a 6,915 s.f. sanctuary, and a 6,950 s.f. family life center. The project was divided into phases to keep the Church open for worshipers. Phase I, a major redesign of the Sanctuary, included reorientation of the choir loft to face the congregation and to improve the lighting and conditioned air circulation. The chancel area was rebuilt using detailing that matched the historic millwork of the building. The vaulted ceiling was reconstructed and an overflow connection to the Contemporary Worship Center was created.  This phase also included the redesign of existing spaces to be utilized as a nursery area for children under 3-years old.  In Phase II of the project, the old Fellowship Hall and kitchen were gutted and redesigned into a fully equipped Contemporary Worship Center and new 1,030 s.f. commercial kitchen. This was very complicated working around existing utilities and also entailed removing the flat roof of this area of the existing building.  Phase III encapsulated areas of the building used for the Church School and Sunday Bible Study. The entire area was gutted and new spaces were designed for a more modern approach to teaching.  Throughout all phases of this project, handicapped accessibility was a particular focus of the design along with enhanced functionality, while preserving the historical aesthetics of the Church.  All of these activities had to be done while the Church was in operation and was tied to specific completion dates.