Plant City’s First Baptist Church has submitted plans to the city for a new campus on property it owns off James L. Redman Parkway. The church has owned the 57 acres of land for over 10 years and has been waiting to move its current campus on Palmer Street when it reaches capacity.
On an average Sunday, the church has between 1,400 and 1,500 attendees who participate in two morning worship services, various children’s programs and Bible study groups. The church is nearly at its maximum number.
Senior Pastor Dr. Brian Stowe has been at First Baptist for just over a year, but he already sees the need to expand.
“The preschool is about to max out,” Stowe said.
Finding church parking is also problematic, since the parking lots closest to the church cannot accommodate the large congregation. Stowe said that members often walk across train tracks to get to the main building.
The proposed campus will be built on 3309 James L. Redman Parkway.
The first phase of the building process will be the sanctuary and the attached, two-story building for children and adult classes. Stowe believes that this phase will be the biggest section of the process done at one time. Combined with a commons area, the space will be about 60,000 square feet.
The sanctuary will seat about 1,800 people. The current sanctuary can only seat about 1,250 people. A blended worship service and a modern worship service will be held every Sunday.
The commons area will be the first thing members see when walking into the building. It will be located just off of the sanctuary.
The children’s area will have a slide that runs from the second floor down to the first floor.
“The preschool and children’s area will about double in size,” Stowe said. “The commons area will be much larger. One of the things we’ll enjoy most will be a large, open gathering area.”
Stowe is unsure of how many phases the building will have. Once the first phase is completed, a larger youth building and administration building will be added. In the future, a small chapel may also be added .
Parking will become easier as well.
“Once inside, you’re inside,” Stowe said. “Everything will be connected.”
As for the Palmer Street building, the church will continue to use it for Bible studies or other meetings as long as they own the building.
“If we had an interested buyer … (we would) be open to selling,” he said. “We’ll use it as long as we have it.”
Some congregation members have seen still shots of the new campus, but a virtual tour will officially be unveiled Sunday, Oct. 4.
“I believe it will meet the need,” Stowe said. “This church has been willing to do whatever’s needed, even when it goes against preferences.”
The plans are currently under review by the city. Stowe hopes that the church will break ground on the project at the end of this year or in early 2016. The building process is expected to take between 14 and 15 months.
“We’ve really just intensified work on it this year,” he said. “We’re convinced this is the time for us to move forward on it.”
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.