Saint Andrew's United Methodist Church's Master Plan

   
   
   
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CHURCH’S FUTURE TAKING SHAPE

After interviews with church leaders and committee chairs, an architect’s conception of the 15.3 acres of land upon which St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church rests has begun to emerge.

David Lee, a member of St. Andrew’s and an architect with Quorum Architects Inc., will show church members a versatile plan that emphasizes flexibility. David envisions a warm and inviting campus with a pedestrian focus.

Conceptually, the perimeter of the campus will be designed to provide a strong outreach to the community. This can be accomplished through visible “enterprise zones” such as office space for Arlington Urban Ministries or a coffee shop or other retail aimed at luring people onto the outskirts of the property.

Other visual enticements such as recreational fields could encourage curiosity along high traffic areas on Green Oaks Boulevard and New York Avenue and allow sightlines to the worship space to remain unobstructed.

“We want the perimeter of the campus to pull people in,” David said. “And once we pull people in, we want to welcome them and show them what a great place St. Andrew’s is.”

In David’s plans, the east side of the property would be composed of present and future worship, educational and multi-purpose buildings. The most current plan calls for the creation of a new worship space to accommodate anticipated growth in the future. David proposes such a worship area to the west of the new link.

The current sanctuary could be converted to a multi-purpose building under such a plan.

David also allows for future projects and suggests possibilities could include a chapel surrounded by a pond, or a more ambitious multi-purpose facility.

The campus would be bisected by ample parking which would serve both the worship zone to the east and recreational fields to the west. Such a plan would also promote a vehicle-free area through the heart of the worship zone, giving the property a collegiate feel.

The greenbelt along the east border of the property also has enormous potential, according to David. He said he could envision a pathway that could link to the popular city trail already in place to the south of Green Oaks Boulevard. Such a path could also spur more trail development to the north, where the City of Arlington has long sought a greenbelt to run through town. The church’s quaint amphitheater on the northeast corner of the property could benefit from such a plan.

Such development would reinforce the desire to have a pedestrian-friendly facility and could serve to lure more visitors onto the property through recreational means.