6/22/2007 - Building the holy ground
Building the Holy Ground
Birmingham Business Journal - June 22, 2007 by Lauren B. Cooper
Some could say it takes a village to build a religious institution and many in the architectural and construction industry would confirm that notion.
As many general contractors and architects encompass all sectors of the commercial world, churches are often seen as one of the most challenging projects, in both design and construction.
While there is little information regarding statistics of building religious institutions, one only has to drive through many parts of Birmingham to see active construction and troll through building permits listing millions of dollars for renovations and new facilities.
And from start to finish, a religious project can involve numerous people, starting with the congregation's building committee, said Dave Reese, president of TurnerBatson Architects, whose company currently has 25 active church projects on its job list.
That committee can contain anywhere from five to 100 people, with various subcommittees thrown in the mix, all having a say in every detail and slowing project deadlines, he said.
"I think most architects would say that working with committees is the biggest challenge," he said.
"I love working with churches. It gives us a chance to do some terrific architectural style and also make a difference in the ministry of these churches. But (having that many people involved) often makes the decision-making tough."
Being careful with money and keeping within a budget is another challenge in building a religious institution, said Jeffrey S. Fowler, director of design at Evan Terry Associates.
Fowler helped design the new Knesseth Israel synagogue on Overton Road being built by Birmingham's Hallmark Builders Inc.
With many religious institutions in general, he said, "I think they are careful with their money. They want it to be nice, but at the same time they are sensitive how they are coming across ... not ostentatious."
But many religious institutions, like Knesseth Israel, have certain requirements that must be followed in constructing a new facility.
"There are a tremendous amount of special ways that the construction has to be done, which are not standard to our industry," said Mark Garner, project manager at Hallmark. For example, one of the first things that had to be done once ground was broken on Knesseth Israel, he said, was to dismantle the ark at the congregation's former synagogue on Montevallo Road, requiring the entire building to be demolished.
The ark was then buried at the new site on Overton, just below where the new synagogue would be built. Garner said the congregation now meets in its former business office.
But, said Garner, the most challenging aspect of the building was constructing the synagogue's mikvah, a ritual bath used at certain times by the congregation.
In accordance with the Jewish faith, he said, the mikvah had to be made of concrete, which had to be constructed in one continuous concrete pour and surrounded by concrete on five sides. It also could not contain steel, presenting uncertainty with the mikvah's stability.
Garner and Fowler worked diligently for months with the synagogue's building committee, as well as a committee of rabbis and faithful Jewish men who volunteer themselves to the construction of synagogues around the country.
After four months of sketching and discussion, the mikvah was continuously poured in one day with about three trucks of concrete and reinforced with fiberglass rebar.
Technology is another component many religious institutions want to integrate into its facilities, while respecting the tradition of the faith.
High-tech lighting, locking and heating and cooling systems were installed in Knesseth Israel to allow its congregation to fully observe its belief that vehicles must not be driven and objects, such as keys, must not be carried on the Sabbath.
"It's high-tech, but allows them to be personally low-tech on the Sabbath," said Garner. "They are not violating any of their beliefs."
Reese said installing and trying to hide technology is another challenging aspect of a religious project.
"Everyone loves the screens and projector systems, but they don't want to see them," he said. "One of our challenges has been to incorporate that in an architectural sense."
But no matter the faith, sensitivity and understanding is a key to getting the job done right, said Garner, who conducted extensive research on the Jewish faith during the project.
"I told the head of the building committee 'I'll know more about your faith than you do after this,'" he laughed.
With a work crew that included people from various religious backgrounds, Garner said he worked hard to integrate respect for the Jewish faith into the job site, while keeping the atmosphere light.
"I didn't want to offend any of the congregation," he said about asking whether the construction crew could eat barbecue sandwiches on the site.
"There have been some references to where do we fry the fried chicken. We have had a lot of fun and they were not offended in the least."
Many who design and build religious facilities are reluctant to call it an industry, but the sheer volume of the construction and the economic patterns it displays could suggest otherwise. About 60 percent of TurnerBatson's work is religious, Reese said. That sector of the firm's business has increased by 50 percent over last year.
"Churches don't follow the economic highs and lows that you see other projects follow," he said. "But in tough economic times, people go back to church. They reaffirm the priorities of their place to worship. It's much more special than an industry."
lbcooper@bizjournals.com | (205) 443-5635