St. Anthony Of Padua Church
Religious
St. Anthony of Padua Church
Casa Grande, Arizona
Church renovations protect the old and inspire with new finishes and expanded spaces.
Working with the local Parrish and the Diocese of Tucson, EMC2 developed a master plan and conceptual design for the complex, including a new 12,500 SF Multi-Purpose Hall/Community Center, a 10,000 SF addition, and interior renovation of the existing Historical Murphy Hall. In line with Vatican sustainability goals, EMC2 created a LEED-inspired design. The conceptual drawings were used for a three-year fundraising campaign for the $6 million construction cost.
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The Main Sanctuary now includes additional seating for 800, restrooms, music and instrument storage, choir area with piano and organ, cry room, ushers/bride room, robing area, two reconciliation rooms, removal of the existing choir loft, air handling room, and electrical/mechanical upgrades. A new Narthex was created with a view of the stained-glass window in the main sanctuary.
Chapels Deserve Renovations, too
The Daily Mass Chapel at the Existing Murphy Hall scope included demolition of the kitchen and restrooms, seating for 120, altar risers, small Sacristy with Sacrarium, foyer, and new restrooms. Renovations included demolition of non-historical roofing, new exterior windows, door replacement, exterior stucco patching and painting, roofing system replacement, new Sanctuary flooring, HVAC system replacement, and new insulated and acoustic window systems.
The Multi-Purpose Hall/Community Center project included four 500 SF classrooms, a commercial kitchen, pantry, main assembly room with dining for 300, stage, flexible space for sports events, storage for tables, chairs, and seasonal items, as well as electrical and mechanical rooms.
The design required the team to consider unique site factors due to the proximity to active railroad tracks, ground vibration, and engine and whistle noise were major issues. Acoustic windows over the existing stained-glass windows maintain lighting and increase thermal value, while also reducing sound transmission into the new building. New insulated exterior doors were also installed.
Interior Spaces Come Alive
The interior aesthetic of the community space is sensitive to the design of all three existing church buildings. Wood timber construction and structural elements and wood-paneled ceilings unify the campus’ interior and exterior spaces. A double-fronted interior platform allows for interior and exterior events within the campus.
In addition to standard architectural services, EMC2 delivered site feasibility studies, master planning, programming, lot combination, historical research of St. Anthony, ALTA/surveying, zoning, planned area development, city and private utility coordination, easement abandoning, right-of-way rededication, street abandonment, historical preservation, coordination with downtown redevelopment, utility coordination, value engineering, computer modeling, as-built/field measuring, computer and hand renderings, and fundraising.
