Work on addition at Second Baptist to begin in July

Construction of a multimillion-dollar project is set to begin at the Second Baptist Church at 3111 E. Battlefield this month.

Work on a 65,000-square-foot addition to the existing church begins this month, and will be completed in July 2002, according to John Fulton, a member of the church's building committee and the director of design for John Q. Hammons Hotels.

Fulton said the Second Baptist Church membership has grown 95 percent over the last five years.

Today, 2,700 attend worship services weekly and 1,900 attend Sunday School.

"There's growth at so many churches here," Fulton said. "People are looking for a church to help them with their everyday situations."

The addition, located on the west side of the church, includes a basement and two additional levels.

The basement will be 16,290 square feet to accommodate 300 to 400 youth who are now being bused to Glendale Baptist Church for Sunday School because Second Baptist lacks room. The basement will have a warehouse theme, Fulton said, meaning a concrete floor, an open ceiling, a small cafe and a stage area.

This space will also include classrooms and an open area in which to move tables and chairs.

The first floor will be on the same level as the street. It will include a 20,430-square-foot children's area that will accommodate 120 1-year-olds, 60 2-year-olds, 60 5-year-olds and 40 infants. Fulton said these figures are based on the building code.

Another highlight of the project is a two-story atrium beginning on the first floor, encompassing 4,800 square feet, and featuring a 20-foot-skylight.

This area will include a small kitchen and be used for group gatherings, socializing and special occasions.

The second floor will measure 20,430 square feet and house 17 adult classrooms and an additional area called The Gathering Place.

The Gathering Place, with an adjacent kitchen, will accommodate special activities, meetings and food functions for approximately 200 people.

After the addition is completed, the adult Sunday School rooms on the second floor of the existing building will be torn out to make room for a balcony above the auditorium.

The balcony will provide 1,000 additional seats. Fulton said the church's original master building plan allowed for the construction of a balcony.

The cost of the project, not including removing the adult Sunday School classrooms and replacing them with the balcony, is $4,838,000.

Richard Miller, church treasurer, said the money to pay for the construction "comes from the people."

"During the Our Next Step' Campaign, which began last year, we pledged about $3,200,000 towards building and debt reduction," he said. "This money will come in over the next three years. Thehasamount that's budgeted for debt retirement."

John Marshall, Second Baptist pastor, said the church has no option left except adding on to the existing building.

"We want to have a healthy church where people's needs are being met," he said. "If you have a healthy church, it can't help but grow."

Ness Stockdale is the architect for the project, Heideman + Associates is the engineer and DeWitt & Associates is the contractor.