First Christian Church

Overview:

A.R. Marani, Inc. submitted their proposal to build First Christian Community Church and was selected from a group of contractors to build the $2,680,000 project. We worked with the church and architect through the planning, redesigning, value engineering, county permit obstacles and an arduous bank loan process.

The new church and office facility; with seating for 750 people, with requisite parking, walks and storm water management requirements is constructed on a site covering almost 7 acres. The building is a masonry wall bearing structure with an exterior Dryvit finish. The roof is a steel framed complex truss system with a wood deck over which is applied a standing seam metal roof. The 11,000 sf Sanctuary has theatrical type lighting and sound systems. There is a balcony area at the rear of the Sanctuary that is the control area for the sound and lighting systems. The balcony also has a projection area for a movie screen that is located over the Chancel. The Chancel is designed as a four tiered choir seating area with an orchestra pit located in its approximate center. The HVAC system was designed to provide temperature control at low air velocity to minimize noise.

The building was originally designed as a steel frame structure. A.R. Marani, Inc. created a substantial savings by changing the non-load bearing walls to bearing walls and eliminated all the steel framing except at the roof. The main roof trusses spanned diagonally from the centerline of the bearing walls and in turn supported hipped roof trusses spanning from the building corners.

We also revised the mechanical system to omit a below floor tunnel for return air. In conjunction with our mechanical contractor we developed a return air system using the corridor ceiling, the Chancel walls and Chancel platform.

The multi-leveled ceiling was specifically designed to enhance the 10,000 watt sound system and to provide vertical bulkheads to house the theatrical lighting used to illuminate the Cross at the rear wall, the choir platform, orchestra pit and Minister’s pulpit.