Celebration Church is preparing to build-out a new Westside campus, expanding the ministry reach of the Jacksonville-based church to a fourth area location.
Omega Construction Services is listed as the contractor for the $2.5 million project to renovate almost 65,000 square feet at 6500 Youngerman Circle in Southwest Jacksonville.
Alex Castro, design and building director for Celebration Church, said Omega is providing pre-construction services. There will be a formal bid to invite contractors for the job.
He expects the project to be completed in six months to a year. “Our heart’s desire is in the next six months,” Castro said.
He said the church wants to put in a 1,200- to 1,400-seat sanctuary “and really try to impact the whole Westside community.”
Castro said the church has been looking at the site for a while. It will lease the structure with an option to purchase.
Pastors Stovall and Kerri Weems established Celebration Church of Jacksonville in 1998 after moving from Baton Rouge, La. It began in leased space in the Baymeadows and Deerwood area.
The main campus, Celebration Arena, is at 9555 R.G. Skinner Parkway, off Baymeadows Road and Interstate 295. Celebration Church of Jacksonville Inc. bought that 28-acre site in 2005. The 74,140-square-foot church and arena was built in 2012.
It owns its Deerwood campus and leases its locations in Orange Park and Julington Creek. It bought the Deerwood campus in late 2006 and was based there until the move to the arena.
Castro said attendance in the three locations is about 10,000 every weekend.
The church also has campuses in Orlando, Zimbabwe and Northern Ireland.
The $2.5 million build-out covers the church’s 65,000 square feet. Castro said the entire facility is about 122,000 square feet, with the remainder vacant. He said the church can expand and the landlord can lease out portions of the space.
For now, he said, nothing is slated for the rest of the building.
A building permit application shows a build-out of 64,242 square feet to include a 1,200-seat sanctuary and classrooms.
Most of the land is owned by Atlantic Coast Bank, which took title to the property in 2013. At one time, the space was a plant for Maidenform, which sold the property in late 2005.
Another small parcel is owned separately.
Fisher Koppenhafer is the architect.
Site plans from engineering EnVision Design + Engineering LLC show the project, on 9.73 acres, will consist of converting the existing warehouse to church use, renovating the existing parking lot and adding parking on what is now a vacant lot.
The developer is shown as RRP Celebration LLC of Atlanta. Castro said that partnership was created for the project.
He said the pastor’s vision is seven campuses around the city with easy access, “where we can minister to different communities.”
The church is considering sites that can be renovated as well as land that can be developed. “We prefer existing structures. They’re easier to modify, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t pursue a ground-up,” he said.
The church at one time had a Regency Square Mall campus on its plans, but Castro said that changed because of timing.
“We were heavily engaged in the Westside campus and we had to pick which one we would pursue first. We feel like we can make a big impact on the Westside. It is going to be a great opportunity,” he said.
Celebration Church was considering the former Belk store at the Arlington mall, but decided it wasn’t a good fit. Another church now intends to move in there.
Celebration Church still continues to look in Regency and other areas.
The church typically looks for facilities from 35,000 to 50,000 square feet.
Its website is celebration.org.
Villas at Dames Point complex sells for $17M
Dames Point Partners LLC sold the 180-unit Villas at Dames Point this week for $17 million, or about $94,500 a unit.
VMHF Jacksonville LLC bought the apartment community at 8291 Dames Point Crossing Blvd. It is on 11.5 acres.
The community was built in 2007 and has undergone some cosmetic improvements, such as amenities and landscaping.
Villas at Dames Point comprises six three-story buildings, 27 private detached garages, a private lake and gated access. It consists of 54 one-bedroom and 126 two-bedroom units.
It is 93 percent occupied.
Brad Coe, director, and Douglas Blair, managing director, both of multifamily investment services at Colliers International Northeast Florida, brokered the deal.
VMHF Jacksonville is part of The Republic Family of Companies based in Washington, D.C.
Coe said he and his team will work with Republic on additional acquisitions.
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