A New Chapter

A New Chapter

Grace Community Church's New Home

Words by Lifestyle Staff | Photos by Kreatve Content

After years of meticulous planning and dedicated construction, Grace Community Church in Visalia unveiled its new building this past January. Designed and built to provide a modern and welcoming space, this state-of-the-art facility is a testament to the church’s vision and commitment to serving the community. “This new ministry facility took five years from planning to completion, but was a work in progress and prayer for over 25 years”, shares the church’s construction supervisor, Larry Pruitt. The journey included the sale of their former property to Visalia Unified School District. This acquisition enabled the District to consolidate its independent study program into one campus. During the interim, Grace Community Church held services at Divisadero Middle School until their new building was completed. The sale of their previous facilities played a crucial role in funding their impressive new location, ensuring the church's vision could become a reality.

Walking through the open-air foyer, visitors are greeted by arched entryways, large olive trees, and polished concrete floors, a design masterfully brought to life by expert minds. The atrium, which features a functional cafe, seamlessly connects to the worship area, fostering a sense of community and connection. Intricately designed carpets in each classroom add to the welcoming atmosphere, although aligning the carpets was a detailed and time-consuming task. Many local businesses played a crucial role in bringing this vision to life through their expertise and dedication, ensuring that every element of the church was crafted to perfection. The construction management partner for the project was local design and build company, 4Creeks, Inc. Larry shares, “The incredible result was greatly due to our partnership with 4Creeks. Almost daily, I worked alongside job superintendent, Eric Beedle. Eric kept the contractors accountable and, on occasion, he would roll up his sleeves and do some of the work himself. Our team can’t say enough about what a blessing Eric was for coordinating the ministry center construction to the very end. Also, teaming with local subcontractors was the right decision. These relationships allowed for more dynamic working conditions and a higher quality of workmanship.”

One of the standout features of the new building is the sanctuary, which boasts individual LED screens that took several months to program, and a lighting system that enhances the experience. The acoustic wall panels, also arched to match the design theme, ensure pristine audio quality for services and events.

For the younger members of the congregation, the church has created specialized spaces that cater to their needs. The high school rooms are particularly noteworthy, with raised ceilings that have been vaulted from the original 10 feet to allow for louder, uninhibited worship. Rehearsal rooms equipped with stages provide an excellent venue for youth activities and performances.

The attention to detail extends to practical aspects as well. The beautifully tiled bathroom walls and floors were designed by dlb Designs with the intent for easy maintenance. While the quiet air conditioning system ensures a comfortable environment without disrupting the serene atmosphere of the space.

This new building not only serves as a place of worship, but also as a hub for the community to gather, connect, and grow together. “Our church family is ecstatic with how it has turned out. We couldn’t be more thrilled.” states Larry. The journey to this new home has been long and at times challenging, but the results are truly spectacular and well worth the wait.

Design + Build Team

Construction Management: 4Creeks, Inc.

Architecture: SKW Architects

Interior Design: dlb Designs

Carpet: Franey’s Carpet One Floor & Home

Polished Floors and Painting: WM. B. Saleh Co.

Tile: Creative Vision

Lighting & Sound: NTM Productions

Earth Works & Asphalt: Galante Bros. Enterprises, Inc.

Landscape: Quality Landscaping