Encounter Church proposes 1,000‑square‑foot narthex expansion, exterior repainting and skylight

Architects for Encounter Church presented a study-session design that would expand the church’s narthex by roughly 1,000 square feet, add a glass curtain-wall entry with a skylight feature, and repaint exterior materials.

Grace Manahan introduced the item as Design Standard Review 25-003. Brad Austin, project manager for Herbal Architecture, said the proposal calls for an addition that increases the narthex footprint by approximately 1,000 square feet, raising the roof of the new entry and framing it with glass curtain walls to highlight the primary entrance. The plan includes a skylight with a ceiling cutout matching the church logo’s two intersecting circles and proposes repainting existing brick and vertical wood siding in a neutral palette. The team described the new roof as visually flat from many angles but acknowledged it will have slope for drainage; the design team said the soffit material and a tongue-and-groove wood finish are being considered but remain conceptual.

Chad Lorenz, principal at Herbal Architecture, described the interior goal as creating a brighter, more open gathering space where the outside visually flows into the interior. The architects said they are not proposing wholesale replacement of the wood siding and that the work will primarily be repainting and repairing existing materials; they noted some rotten siding and leaking roofs will require repair as part of the renovation but that full reroofing is not planned at this stage. The team said mechanical systems are numerous in the existing building and the project will seek consolidation.

Commissioners asked about material choices and alternatives to fully painted brick (including staining options), whether the wood siding would remain, and the appropriateness of small color accents tied to the church’s new brand. Several commissioners emphasized the need to see actual paint and material samples at the formal design review; the applicant agreed to return with samples.

Context and next steps

The applicants said the congregation is a newly combined congregation seeking a new public identity, and the architects said interior finishes such as polished concrete are under consideration to create a cohesive indoor-outdoor flow. The project was presented as a study session; no formal action was taken. The design team will return with final materials and paint samples for the commission’s formal review.