Teamwork and Perseverance! These ingredients, needed for any project, were essential for the Willowdale Chapel project due to the challenges faced by the church. A 25,700 square foot addition was built for the growing congregation. The new facility includes a worship center for 800, a children’s education wing, and a large fellowship lobby along with the framework for a future balcony and a second floor youth facility.
This project provided an opportunity to learn, grow and develop during a time of change, the recession and a limited budget. It is an example of how the “complete project team” is essential. The process, while tedious and challenging at times, ultimately brought satisfying results.
The team, consisting of Willowdale Chapel Construction Team, Wohlsen Construction Company (Construction Manager) and WPH – Architects for Ministry, was faced with changes in personnel within the architectural firm, the church and the CM. This impacted the approach and philosophy of design. With the objective of providing the most functional square footage with future flexibility within the church’s set budget as the foremost goal for all parties, a positive outcome was possible.
Despite the changes faced, there was not a reduction in cost for construction. The team had to make some difficult decisions. One of those decisions was to leave the worship center balcony as a shell only, allowing a fit out to occur when additional funds are available. Another money-saving approach was to eliminate finishing the second floor youth spaces, but constructing the frame so that the space is capable of being readily constructed later on. The second floor steel protrudes through the roof to enable future extension along with the second floor concrete slab already being in place.
The process took many months, but all parties were focused on the objective making the team even more dedicated. The entire team is credited for sticking with it and achieving an awesome project that will enable Willowdale Chapel to continue to expand their mission – “I tell you, open your eyes and look to the fields! They are ripe for harvest!”
I have visited Willowdale often as they were building their new sanctuary, and can’t wait to go back again now that it’s done. I am sure you’ve done a great job.