Shiloh Baptist Church

This project consisted of addition of a new worship space & commons to the existing urban facility. Additionally, the fellowship hall was doubled in size and new offices, classrooms, music room and ADA compliant restrooms were provided. One of the biggest difficulties, through both the design of the project and construction, was the constrained site because a creek and its associated floodway bisect the building. The 17,500 square foot footprint of the additions was substantially shaped by these factors.

An internal courtyard was created between the existing building and the new construction to maintain existing windows and to provide a contained outdoor play area for the adjacent classrooms. The floor of the worship space was sloped to enhance sight lines and to help connect the floor level at the front of the new building with the existing fellowship hall at the back which is lowered. This proved to be a cost saving measure through reduced foundations and borrowed fill costs. The worship area also includes projection screens on diagonal walls flanking both sides of the platform, and a large raised control booth with provisions for sound system, lighting controls and closed circuit TV. The generous mezzanine level at the baptistery provides 2 dressing rooms with restrooms and easily accessible mechanical rooms for the primary building systems. The worship area seats 417 in the congregation and 68 in the choir, with seating for the pastor and 6 deacons on the platform. The expanded Fellowship Hall can seat up to 250 people for large functions.

The project was a good example of the benefits of team build, allowing the Owner to realize significant savings through value engineering teamwork during the design phase, and make upgrades to the design during the construction phase as additional finances became available.