Print Article     Email Article

by Dawn Allcot     Added November 03, 2008

As published in Worship Facilities, Nov/Dec 2008

More churches today are relying on multi-purpose spaces to fulfill their worship and community outreach needs without added costs or the need for additional real estate. “Most of our clients are looking in the direction of multi-purpose spaces,” says WPH – Architects for Ministry Principal Jeffrey A. Harris. “There are so many different functions a church must accommodate and there’s a limit to what they can build.”

When New City, New York’s Gracepoint Gospel Fellowship (formerly New City Gospel Fellowship) acquired 43 acres of land adjacent to two existing acres of property directly off the Palisades Parkway, the non-denominational Christian church determined that a 1,100-seat sanctuary, which could also function as a full-court gymnasium or two smaller gymnasiums, as well as a banquet hall and kitchen, would help fulfill the church’s goal to get the community more involved in church activities.

“To understand the building,” Harris says, “you have to understand the church. They have multiple ministries within the church and school. The goal was to give them a building with maximum flexibility that would include all the different ministries. If you were to list all their needs and design a building in accordance with all those needs, the building would have been enormous.”

Harris and his Penndel, Pennsylvania-based architectural firm rendered a design that includes a 30,000-square-foot, pre-engineered structure, then married it to the 20,000-square-foot existing space by means of a structural steel building that houses a lobby, bookstore, and coffee shop. The old space was renovated, turning the former 340-seat sanctuary into a 200-seat fellowship hall and adding more classrooms and office space.

Two Growing Trends
Gracepoint exemplifies two growing trends in church architecture: multi-purpose spaces and pre-fabricated structures, which both help cut construction costs.

“The pre-fab structure gave us the most versatility and open space we needed for the money we could spend,” says Michael Salerno, president of Stony Point, New York-based MCS Contractors, who was the construction manager and general contractor for the project. Salerno has been a member of the church for eight years, and reports that it was a true blessing to have the opportunity to work on this project. His firm did much of the field work, including flooring, tile work, carpets, and some of the carpentry, but he says that, looking back, he would have completed even more work in-house.

The pre-engineered structure was created by CECO of Johnsonville, New York. According to Harris, marrying the two structures with the steel addition in between—necessitating two connections—was one of the key design and construction challenges. “Pre-engineered moves differently than conventional,” he explains.

A firewall was added between the older, three-story wood construction building and the steel addition. The original building had a more traditional design, with classic columns and a steeple. These features were torn down to create a more contemporary look, and a stucco front, along with brick trim that matches the new building and connector, was added, giving the facility the look of one continuous, contemporary-style structure.

Construction took place throughout this past summer and spring, with the dedication service held in September 2008. Throughout construction, the church continued using the original building for classes and services. Harris says, “We had to develop the site and sequence the construction in such a way that it didn’t interrupt what they were doing. We had to ensure all exits remained open and accessible, and be mindful of when utilities could be turned off. Everything was impacted.”

Inside, the church has a contemporary but warm ambience, with soft wood grains and light colors throughout. A rubberized gym floor was selected. Stackable chairs, which store easily in closets beside the stage, are laid out in a theatre configuration on the floor in front of the stage, with two retractable bleacher sections toward the rear of the sanctuary. The bleachers are not conventional bench seats, but feature theatre-style chairs integrated into the tiers. The entire structure folds up with the touch of a button. The uppermost seats can stay in place to create a viewing area during basketball games.

Audio-visual Enhances the Mission
The audio-visual (A/V) and acoustical components, including a custom-engineered system from Bose, which was installed by Simplex Grinnell of Clifton Park, New York, added to the multi-functionality of the space. “We looked at it from a theatrical standpoint first, and general use after that,” says Pastor Shellie Sampson III, the assistant pastor of technology and integration.

“Because we have such a diverse program at Gracepoint, it gives us much more flexibility. We can do professional-level, Broadway-style productions and touring acts. It opens up the entire Christian world and community to us,” Sampson says.

Curtains will be added in the future to protect the audio, video, and lighting components from errant basketballs and other dangers inherent in a gym.

Acoustical ceiling clouds, which dampen the sound in the large, rectangular space, add to the aesthetics of the sanctuary. “It doesn’t feel like a pre-engineered, warehouse space,” Harris says. “The clouds bring down the scale of the space and introduce the opportunity for multi-purpose gymnasium lighting, down lighting, and theatrical lighting. The theatrical lights, designed and installed by Paul Tardue of Centerstage [Lighting & Sound of Bardstown, Kentucky], are tucked into the acoustical clouds.”

Fundraising and Overall Impact
The project cost a total of $8 million, including $5.5 million for construction, $500,000 in A/V and lighting, and about $1 million in legal, architect, and engineering fees, site work, and permits. The campus is located across two different municipalities, requiring permits and approvals from two separate townships. Delays in getting permits resulted in added costs and put the project just slightly over-budget.

The church raised a total of $2 million, but Senior Pastor Carl Johnson cites the fundraising efforts as one of the “learning experiences” of the project. “In 1990, we used a stewardship company to raise funds for expansion. We had a positive experience and doubled our income for three years,” he explains. “This time, we handled it in-house, and we did save some money. But we question if we raised as much as we could have using somebody else.” He notes that while the church came on strong the first year, a three-year campaign and stronger follow-ups could have been more successful.

Sadly, in the midst of construction, the church lost its treasurer and building committee head, Al Ambrosino, to cancer. Ambrosino had played a key role in the project. “He was the spark plug who got it all going,” says Johnson of his friend and colleague.

Because of Ambrosino’s tireless dedication and planning, the project was able to continue under the guidance of Johnson and other deacons. While Ambrosino did not make it to the opening dedication, Johnson says, “He saw it in his mind. He was a man full of life, humor, and excitement, and one who we dearly miss.”

Seven days a week, Ambrosino’s vision is realized on every square foot of the church campus. Parishioners linger after services in the spacious lobby or the fellowship hall, with its coffee house and bookstore, and the space also attracts non-church members seeking the Word. “It’s just the place to be,” Salerno observes. “After Sunday services, people gather in the fellowship mall, talking and drinking coffee. That open area makes it very comfortable.”

The gymnasium, too, is ripe with outreach opportunities. “We started an athletic outreach program for children last year,” Johnson closes. “We had about 130 kids … and this year we can host it in our own facility. We expect to double [the] number this year. A lot of the children are from unchurched homes, so it’s a great evangelistic opportunity.”

Dawn Allcot is the work-at-home mom of Ashley Lyn, born October 12, 2008. A full-time freelance writer and editor, Dawn is a regular contributor to Worship Facilities and Church Production magazines.