St. Mary’s Catholic Church was built in 1937 at a cost of $35,500 and occupies a city block sized parcel. In the ensuing years this large site also became home for the parish Rectory, Convent and Elementary School. In more recent times the Rectory had been converted to the Parish Offices and the Convent was converted to the Parish Center.
In order to more comfortably accommodate the congregation the Parish wanted to enlarge the existing Church from its current seating capacity of 400 to a seating capacity of 650. This required the construction of a new Nave to be connected to the existing church on its northwest side. The church was enlarged from its existing size of approximately 4,300 sq. ft. to approximately 15,400 sq. ft. The 11,000 sf addition includes 1,800 sq. ft. of Parish Office space. In conjunction with the construction of the new Nave, the existing church was remodeled to relocate/reconfigure the altar and to add a church tower.
The architectural style, form and materials of the church addition sought to compliment the original English Gothic church. The primary exterior materials are brick masonry walls to match the existing brick, cultured stone accents on the building base and tower, and a roofing material of architectural grade asphalt composition shingles. Ecclesiastical windows throughout the new addition and in the new tower complete the exterior palette of materials and fill the church interiors with natural light. New site development was limited to the area immediately adjacent to the church addition and included walled gardens on the each side of the new sanctuary.
The project was constructed in two (2) Phases. Phase I of the project was the addition. While Phase I was being completed the congregation continued to occupy the existing church. When Phase I was completed and ready for temporary occupancy, the congregation moved into the addition and Phase II, the remodeling of the existing church, was completed. At all times the congregation continued to hold all their services on site.