Remodeling Plans
Before we started detail design of anything, we took time to work on a master plan - to pray and think through our facilities and the possiblities for God's ministry here in the future. This allowed us to look out to the future, and then refine our scope to the near term needs.
The majority of the work to be done in the near term is within the walls of our existing buildings. While we would love some new buildings and new areas, the reality is that at this time we do not need additional meeting space, but rather what we need is for the basic infrastructure of the facility to be updated.
Tile is buckling, our Sanctuary entry is hard to find, the kitchen ventilation doesn’t work, plumbing is old, there is not a single ADA bathroom in the facility, lack of hot water, and the bathrooms in general are … poor. All what you would expect from a faciilty designed and built 60 to 70 years ago.
So, with this backdrop we chose the projects for this first phase – an addition to our Sanctuary, update of the Fellowship Hall and Kitchen, remodel of the Children's area, improved Fellowship Hall Bathrooms, and remodel of the Fischer bathrooms. You can find additional details on each down below.
We can do most of our near-term projects because of an incredible gift of God through the Henning estate. Jerry and Carol left Magnolia funds to not only do this but help facilitate other ministry efforts. Although the gift was a blessing, deciding on which projects were to be done with it was a tough decision. The team spent a lot of time working through several options. We know that this plan, like any plan, won’t make everyone happy – but we truly searched for God’s guidance in doing this. We look forward to putting in place a facility that will continue to serve God in this community for years to come.
Our remodeling planning began with a look at our total facility, and what could be and should be done both in the near term, and in the future – a master plan. By looking at the overall property, we were able to make sure we put in place the proper planning so that future items are able to be done efficiently. So, on the renderings and the master plan you will see things like a new Children’s building, a support building on the green, a reworked courtyard, and a JMh building in the southeast corner. Unfortunately, these cannot be done in this first phase. However, by making them part of the plan we can make sure that, for example, as we update the electrical, we will update it with sufficient capacity for these things. In addition, as we add small items, like storage units, we make sure we are not placing them where they will impede future work.
After completing the Master Plan, we worked with two different General Contractors. The two contractors worked independently and gave us estimated costs for the various work to help us prioritize our efforts. In addition, by working together at this point helped us decide on who to partner with for the actual work.
As a result, we have came up with our near-term projects, and our next steps projects.
There really are several elements to this effort, but the base is an addition of about 2000 square feet to the street side of the Sanctuary.
Addition - The Sanctuary addition will house a new set of restrooms. These restrooms will not only have a bit more room, but will also be ADA compliant. In addition, there will be a new Prayer / Bride's rooom, and a children's workers room - with storage, sink, and other necessities directly accessable to the children's area.
Lobby Remodel - After the new bathrooms are operational, the old ones will be removed and the area opened up to be a part of the Lobby. This will allow us to move the main entry doors closer to the courtyard, making them visible as guests arrive. As a part of this, the Lobby and Chapel will be remodeled.
Fellowship Hall: The fellowship hall drop ceiling will be removed and opened, revealing the original high ceiling and windows (did you know there were windows up there?). In addition, due to code requirements, we will be closing off the northwest area (where a lot of items are stored) and so the hall will go back to its original rectangular format. Obviously, all new flooring and paint will be put in at completion.
Kitchen: The kitchen will be totally gutted and extended by 10 feet to the west (within the existing building). The extension will allow better separation between prep, cook, and washing areas. In addition to new appliances and air handling systems, water filtration will be added in.
The two children's wings will be remodeled and set up for a safe and secure enviroment for all our children from newborn through 6th grade.
Using the existing spaces, the buildings will be updated. The low windows on the west wing will be replaced with higher / safer windows. In addition, the rooms and area will be repainted and new flooring installed. Other updates will be addressed.
In addition, the children's bathrooms will have a new look with new tile, fixtures, and accesories.
The restrooms at the end of the north end of the children’s wing will be updated:
- The woman’s restroom will be enlarged, using the small office space adjacent to it. This will allow more users as well as make it ADA compliant.
- The second small bathroom nearest the courtyard will be remodeled into a single user ADA compliant / family restroom.
- The men’s bathroom will be redecorated with new tile and fixtures.
Fischer Restrooms
The Fischer Bathrooms are being remodeled (and some of them are complete!)
Office Bathrooms - The two bathrooms in the office area are remodeled with new tile and fixtures, into single user bathrooms (this means you can use either one). Of course there are new appropriate locks on them. In addition, the larger one includes a baby changing station. (Complete!)
1st Floor North Bathrooms - These two small bathrooms were previously children's sized rooms. They have been expanded and are now complete as ADA compliant bathrooms. (Complete)
2nd Floor East Bathrooms - these two bathrooms are remodeled with new tile and fixtures. While they are tight, they remain women's and men's bathrooms with two stalls in each. (To be completed January 8, 2026)
West End Bathrooms - these bathrooms are ... awkward, and so they will be remodeled into single user bathrooms (again, this means you may use either one) with new door locks, tile, and fixtures. In addition, one will include a baby changing station. The upstairs set will begin construction soon. The first floor bathrooms will be paused until later in the project and our financial situation is clear.
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Truly an exciting new use of our facility will be a rework of the green area on the north side of the main parking lot. In this area, we envision a new support building. It will contain a small serving kitchen, as well as several bathrooms. This will make it a self- sufficient space for various programs and events. It also will be set up to include a maintenance shop and general storage.
Note: This item is a future item, depending on God's provision of additional resources.
We also see a general refresh of the courtyard, which will include adding better church entry points, new second story access, courtyard seating, a unique coffee service, and various amenities to make it a better gathering place. The addition of simple, but consistent entry point indicators (round raised element) will help visitors navigate our facility.
Note: This is a future item, depending on God's provision of additional resources.
The existing west Children’s wing building would be removed and replaced with a new, larger building (again, using more of the open front area). The new children’s wing will feature a new nursery, two new classrooms, and children’s bathrooms. In addition to the new Children’s rooms, the new building may host new men’s and women’s bathrooms that will support the Fellowship Hall and courtyard functions.
Note this is a potential future phase, depending on God's provision of additional resources.