First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica

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Project Description:

Church Admin. Bldg
Type V (1 hr. rated) Offices Finishes Upgrades: Refurbish existing first floor lobby, renovate entry lobby, new rear alley entry upgrade, new lobby doors, new ext. bldg. lighting, new lobby ceiling, new lobby finishes & HVAC upgrade, revised security upgrade

Main Church Bldg., First Floor
Renovation and finishes Upgrades, add new balcony over existing Narthex area, w/dual stair access, renovate existing Nave with new glass doors, new curtain wall, new pews, new acoustical treatment, revised choir seating, demolish existing ceiling, remove pendant lighting, demolish existing Chancery wall/screen, add new int. Chancery Wall, install new, smooth Gypsum hung ceiling, install new lighting, new HVAC mech. system, new duct layout, install new roof skylight 32’ X 12’, new roof membrane, new standing seam mansard roof, new ceiling insulation, new carpeting, new pew furniture, (match existing seating layout), new wall acoustical finishes, replace existing antique stained glass panels, New mech. & Electrical

Courtyard
Renovation & Finishes Upgrade: New breezeway roof, new wrought iron fence and access gates, new concrete stamped finish, new marquis roof over church entry, new landscaping, planters, feature fountain, new exterior signage and lighting, modify existing cross, new benches, planters with stone, add new exterior Columbarium nook in Administration wing

Chapel
Finish Upgrade: Renovate existing ext. chapel finish, New doors, Revise ext. lighting, New Bldg. signage

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Architect’s Project Statement

The Questions:
How do you successfully renovate a place of worship?
How do you maintain the character and vision bestowed upon a congregation with an ongoing history of over 135 years?
How does this change and improvement come about, while maintaining the existing facility use, that is acceptable to a large team working together with sometimes more than diverging interests?

My Answer:
Be creative, be responsive, be diligent and persuasive, and choose to take risks beyond the sphere of what you know. Look to a higher source for beauty within this process of change.

The First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica definitely needed an modern upgrade. Through a lengthy interview process with several architects, I was fortunate to be chosen to address their needs, and to present a conceptual design concept the congregation could embrace. Our goal: Leave the main structure essentially intact, focus on finishes and color with interior modifications to bring exciting new venues -and much needed natural light to a working, existing layout.

The physical structure, built in 1972 provided for a spacious and great sounding nave with adjoining narthex. Specific requests included the performance criteria of the original Schantz Organ was to be maintained -if not improved upon. The predominance of the existing beige to tan to light brown color range, with dark stained wooden accents and 1970’s hanging pendant lighting, had to be addressed and drastically modified in our renovation wishes.

The considerable task that lay before the Board of Trustees and their Beautification Team, under the capable leadership of Mrs. Ellen Ireland was substantial, with many, many new and unanswered challenges. Together we set out to define an exact Scope of Work, to enlighten the main Nave Hall with a large, new Chancel Skylight, to provide for a totally renovated structure, and adding balcony level seating to enhance with greater depth the audio qualities of this wonderful place of Worship.
“Let there be Light” was our early motto, where we decided to remove the dull brown patterns and dark painted features for a brighter, airy and much more cheerful space to pray and celebrate in. Over the first year we defined a clear conceptual design, refined the exterior with a color palette reminiscent of the L’Hermitage in Russia, and augmented a wonderful new enclosed courtyard design with the streetscape artwork by world-renown artist Mr. Laddie John Dill.

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This project was very challenging on many different levels. With the assistance and expert guidance of Bruce Kuch’s BHK project administration, and the assistance of Onyx Architects during the construction documents and St. Monica Bldg. and Safety permit phase, the construction contract was awarded in late 2005 to T & G Construction, under the leadership of Mr. Mike Rotolo. Our now completed project team was in capable hands.

Working closely with T & G as project Manager were Barry Paxson and Jobsite foreman Rob Merlot. These gentlemen took a very difficult, multi-facetted program of interaction between budget constraints, construction program scheduling and with unforeseen pre-existing, non-conforming conditions and made it practical and buildable. This team was constantly revising the scope of work parameters to have the building renovation completed on schedule and within general budgetary constraints.

I’d like to thank in particular the Board of Trustees for their governance, Mrs. Ellen Ireland for her unswerving support, Dr. William Wood, III for his guidance, spiritual enabling and enthusiasm to complete an exciting, rewarding project. In particular I am grateful for the daily efforts of Bruce Kuch, Angeles Padilla, Mike Rotolo, Barry Paxson and Rob Merlot for their expertise, their professionalism and their untiring efforts. I am thankful to our entire design team, the FPC church administration and innumerous volunteers who have helped all of us to have completed this project to mutual satisfaction.

The First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica now holds a renewed spirit, a wonderfully graceful atmosphere, an exciting venue, but most of all, this is simply stated a beautiful church. With the ongoing, engaging commitment to the worship of our Lord in sustenance of the needs of our growing community, I hope this structure will remain testament to our beliefs and faith for a long time to come. It has been a privilege and an honor to work with you over the past several years to reach our final completion today.

Quentin Dart Parker, AIA
project architect

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Estimated Project Budget: $2.800,000.00

Estimated Project Duration: March 2004- March 2007