Windsor Village Church At 6011 W. Orem Dr.

[Subdude]

Link to storyFrom the January 28, 2005 print edition

Commercial Real Estate Beat

Nation's largest Methodist Church to enlarge its boundaries

Jennifer Dawson

Houston Business Journal

Windsor Village United Methodist Church plans to break ground in late spring on a 420,000-square-foot facility to house its considerable membership base.

The 15,000-person congregation, touted as the largest United Methodist Church in the country, has been led by senior pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell since 1982. The high-profile pastor delivered the closing prayer at President Bush's swearing-in ceremony last week in Washington, D.C.

The church, which also goes by the name of Kingdom Builders, plans to hold services on Jan. 30 at the Toyota Center to assemble all of its members and unveil plans for the new facility.

Members currently meet in seven services at three different locations for weekly worship.

The 420,000-square-foot structure will be called Kingdom Builders Center and will be located on the southwest corner of W. Orem and S. Post Oak.

The facility will include a 7,000-seat sanctuary, family life center, prayer center and gym.

The sanctuary has a theater-in-the-round concept to provide a more intimate feeling. There will also be space for a 350-member choir, an orchestra and a stage for performing arts.

The overall facility will resemble an atrium mall, including some retail operations and a large play area featuring a carousel for children.

Morris Architects, the lead architect on the project, was asked to design a town-like setting that would meet the many needs of the surrounding community.

"The facility's not just used on Sunday, but every day of the week," says Mark Martof, a principal with Morris Architects, which is also designing the new Lakewood Church.

"It is much more than a church," Martof says. "It is a community development."

More than 15 firms are involved in the design and construction of the Kingdom Builders Center, including George Johnson Developers, Tellepsen Builders and ESPA Corp.

The new church facility is part of a master plan that includes the 452-home Corinthian Pointe subdivision, which is nearing completion. The 234-acre master plan also calls for a YMCA, an elementary school, a retirement community and a 20-acre park.