O’Shea Builders started construction on a historic renovation project at First Presbyterian Church in Springfield. The renovation includes 20,000 additional square feet of accessible space for a variety of uses. The footprint of the church buildings will remain the same, but the 1920s structure will be replaced, requiring removal of the old chapel. The pulpit and other decorative elements will be preserved in a history room off the main reception hall.
In addition, a new elevator will provide access to all five levels of the building. Other construction elements include constructing new accessible entrances from the parking lot, updating the kitchens, designing a new chapel, creating a kid-friendly lounge, flexible classroom, lounge, and chapel spaces for future generations.