A Georgia church bought 40,000 square feet of vacant retail space and 11 acres; it incorporated shipping containers into a 2,100-seat auditorium and youth facilities

What happens when a growing church stops looking at an abandoned shopping center as an empty retail property and starts seeing possibilities? Athens Church in Athens, Georgia, took that approach after buying 40,000 square feet of vacant retail space and an adjoining 11 acres. What followed was a major transformation built around reuse, flexibility and an unmistakably industrial design, as per a report by Church Production.

The project eventually expanded far beyond the original purchase, creating space for children, teenagers, adults and large gatherings while finding new uses for everything from shipping containers to existing technology.

How did the church turn vacant retail space into a campus?

Athens Church was planted by North Point Ministries, based in Alpharetta, Georgia, in 2005. For years, the church moved through increasingly larger temporary spaces before purchasing the vacant retail property.


The first 40,000-square-foot building, along with 11 adjoining acres, was quickly converted into a 1,300-seat auditorium and support spaces. But the church soon outgrew it.

In 2013, the owners of the shopping center approached Athens Church about buying the remaining property. The opportunity meant acquiring a total of 340,000 square feet across 40 acres.

“At the time it seemed ridiculous to own that much [space],” says Jones, “but it was adjoining property with buildings already on it.”

Atlanta architecture firm Bradfield, Richards, Rhodes & Associates, or BRRA, was brought in shortly after the purchase to develop a master plan. Principal and Project Architect Tom Rhodes says the team first had to address the interior itself.

The non-load-bearing walls were removed, creating what the designers saw as a blank canvas. BRRA and Athens Church also invited Sandy Gibbes of Equip Studio in Greenville, South Carolina, to collaborate on the master plan.

Why move the church into the middle of the shopping center?

One of the biggest changes was relocating the main auditorium and entrance from a corner of the shopping center to the middle.

The designers also wanted people to move naturally between ministry areas instead of navigating disconnected exterior sidewalks and entrances. Their answer was to bring the circulation indoors, creating an interior corridor that connected the different parts of the church.

Children's areas became a major priority because Athens Church emphasizes investment in the next generation. The master plan called for 160,000 square feet of new space, including 20,000 square feet each for pre-K, elementary, middle school and high school, plus 80,000 square feet for adult worship and gathering areas.

“We prioritized square footage over elaborate design because we tend to fill up what we build. We wanted enough space to buy us a few years, and give people a good experience,” says Jones.

Construction began in 2015, and the new spaces were ready in July 2016.

The exterior was also reshaped rather than completely replaced. Existing concrete blocks, storefront doors and windows were painted or modified, while new windows and rusted steel were used to emphasize entrances. Two garage doors were added so that, in good weather, the building could open toward an indoor-outdoor gathering plaza.

Where did the shipping containers fit in?

The industrial character became particularly visible in the high school area.

Teenagers were given a separate entrance, and inside were roughly a dozen shipping containers converted into small-group breakout rooms. BRR cut doors into the containers and added heating, ventilation and air conditioning, along with lighting.

“The shipping containers didn’t save any money, but they add a factor to that environment that students are drawn to—it feels like an old warehouse,” says Jones.

Other youth spaces incorporated repurposed materials as well, including pallets, corrugated pipes and paint cans used as office inboxes. A camper and a Volkswagen were also incorporated into the design.

“We weren’t trying too hard, we just wanted it to be functional and for people to have a good experience inside.”

That approach continued into the main gathering areas. The interior corridor leads into the main lobby and then toward the new 2,100-seat auditorium. Exposed structural systems, concrete floors and open spaces reinforce the industrial aesthetic.

The auditorium itself presented a major construction challenge. The former TJ Maxx space had an 18-foot ceiling that needed to reach 30 feet for rigging and lighting. Its support columns also had to be removed to improve sight lines.

Brasfield & Gorrie of Kennesaw, Georgia, proposed demolishing the roof while retaining the walls and constructing a new steel support structure inside them.

“Basically, we left the exterior walls in place and built a new structure inside them. The space left in between is now the hallway surrounding the auditorium,” explains Rhodes.

How did Athens Church stretch the technology budget?

The project also relied heavily on reusing existing technology.

Athens Church hired Atlanta's Clark for audio, video and lighting design and integration early in the process. The goal was to determine what the church already had, what could remain useful and what actually needed to be replaced.

New amplifiers and subwoofers were purchased, while Clark located used speakers from another church client that were still in good condition. An existing lighting console was also reused, helping equip the auditorium with LED houselights.

A cable and power trough was built into the stage floor, allowing signal wires and power cables to be positioned around the stage while remaining concealed.

For video, the church used a demo LED wall from Mankin Media for the center screen. The screen was 30 by 10 feet, with the option to expand it as additional funds became available.

“The nature of the project was looking at what [Athens] already had and determining what to buy now or replace soon—to only spend what needed to be spent,” says Clark.

Rhodes estimated that repurposing the existing space, systems and technology saved Athens Church 30% to 40% of project costs. “Repurposing really can be a winning situation for all involved, and it’s certainly a redemption metaphor,” he concludes.

FAQs

How large is the Athens Church auditorium?
The new auditorium seats 2,100 people.

How were shipping containers used?
About a dozen were converted into high school small-group breakout spaces.