Plan commission OKs proposed
church expansion
Thursday, September 16, 2004
By Juliana Keeping, The Star
The Parkview Christian Church, a success story in Orland Park's southwest corner, needs more room.
Senior Pastor Tim Harlow said attendance has increased two-and-a-half times over the last two years, with weekend services reaching 2,000 people.
Out of 400,000 churches across the country, it's the 94th fastest growing, according to a study by Outreach Magazine.
To accommodate that growth, Orland Park plan commissioners Tuesday pushed forward the non-denominational church's preliminary plans for an $8.7 million expansion.
Plans for the proposed 88,000-square foot facility include a cavernous auditorium that seats 1,450 worshipers at once, a cafe, book store, additional meeting rooms and space for children and student ministries. More parking spaces are also in line for the 18-acre property at Wolf Road and Orland Parkway, the extension of 183rd Street west of LaGrange Road.
Design for the proposed building's auditorium includes lots of steel and glass that creates an airy feeling. It's also designed to accommodate future expansion.
"The proposed facility is designed so the south wall can come down and give us twice as much space, possibly a 2,500 seat auditorium," Harlow said.
The current facility features a multipurpose room that hosts weekend services, doubles as a gym and seats 600 church-goers at once. The new facility would be three times the size of the current building.
"We use the building non-stop. It's a 24/7 type of congregation," Harlow told plan commissioners.
Indeed, a calendar on the church's Web site lists events on 27 out of 30 days this September.
The congregation moved from Tinley Park to the current $3.5 million facility in 2002, and attendance has skyrocketed since then.
Following Tuesday's plan commission approval, the proposal is forwarded to the village's community development committee. Final approval must come from the village board.
If all goes smoothly, Harlow hopes the expansion can be completed by Christmas, 2005, or the following spring at the latest.
The current building would be used to expand children services and office space, Harlow said.
The proposed new building, the second phase of a long-term expansion project, would be northeast of the current structure. Church officials are eyeing 33-acre field to the east for future expansion.
"If we'll be able to get it, it would hold more than buildings. It could include ball fields, those kinds of things. It's hard to say at this point," Harlow said.
Juliana Keeping may be reached at jkeeping@starnewspapers.com or (708) 802-8823.
