Built in 1882, St. Columba Catholic Church was in need of preservation and restoration. The church was searching to find a solution for major exterior deterioration issues. As a significant landmark in Ottawa, it was important to develop a 100-year solution, not just a 20-year solution.
The design team started with this long term goal in mind, and worked with St. Columba to develop an overall master plan for church facilities. The plan looked at all current unresolved maintenance issues in a larger scope and incorporated a plan that would be followed for the ongoing care and upkeep of the newly restored facilities. The parish wanted a long-term (100-year) solution, so the design team developed a two-phase plan to address all of the church’s needs. Phase 1 was the exterior renovation and restoration; and in order to fund the projects, the Parish raised funds through a capital campaign.
How do we resolve maintenance issues in a larger scope and incorporate a plan that would be followed for the ongoing care and upkeep of the newly restored facilities?
Developed a two-phase overall master plan for church facilities; while the Parish raised funds through a capital campaign.
- Long-term preservation/restoration plan
- New slate roof
- Repaired/restored original stained glass
- Additional accessibility
- New front doors
This allowed for the restoration of the historical facade while preserving the integrity of the original design. Original hand-painted panes that were deteriorated were laminated to maintain the handwork and integrity of the original artist. New slate roof was installed with vents to allow the attic (which was not insulated) to be insulated to increase energy efficiency.
Needing to combine the church and school ministries to one campus, a master plan was developed for Bethel Lutheran Church in Morton, Illinois. A new 28,285 s.f. church building that houses a sanctuary with balcony, parish hall, administrative office suite, nursery, and children’s education space was built adjacent to the existing Bethel Lutheran School.
Geneseo First United Methodist Church asked BLDD to develop a master plan for its downtown location, which is adjacent to a residential area and the City Center. This challenging site included multiple city blocks and required building additions and renovations. In order to accomplish these goals, a phased master plan was created. This plan supports growth in all church ministry areas including: worship, gathering and christian education space for all age groups.
Willow Crystal Lake started with a vision for a space that could reach out to the community and serve as many people as possible. We helped them create a master plan that is a direct reflection of the core convictions and mission of the church. The open and inviting design is an intentional feature that connects the building to the site and the entire community. The goal of Phase 1 was to create a new worship center and then use as much of the existing structure for all of the other ministry spaces.