St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church
Breathing new life into a historic structure, for a new congregation
The Atlanta Episcopal Diocese formed a small group of people, known as the Bishop’s Committee, to explore planting a new Episcopal church in Smyrna, Georgia. After considering several locations, the group acquired the vacant Locust Grove Baptist Church, which was founded in Smyrna in 1910. Houser Walker Architecture worked with the Bishop’s Committee and the new Parish to comprehensively renovate the church and school buildings.
The renovations included space for worship, spiritual support, church administration, and a school building for the new St. Benedict’s Episcopal School. The renovation not only preserved a valuable cultural and historical community asset but awakened a new presence in Smyrna. Two years after its first service, St. Benedicts was one of the fastest growing Episcopal churches in America. This project is a testament to the enduring value of preserving our cultural heritage while embracing the potential for transformative change.
Client
Client: St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church
Location
Smyrna, GA
Status
Completed
Size
16,700 SF
Project Team
Hank Houser, David Esterline, Jamie O’Kelley
Collaborators
Minick Engineering, Planners & Engineers Collaborative, Palmer Engineering, Gabler Youngston, Van Winkle, Choate Construction
Tags
Religious, Renovation
While much of the church’s historic character defining features — such as granite exterior, windows, and balconies — were restored and preserved, the church interior was reimagined to reflect the new congregation’s values and approach to worship.
The introduction of contemporary architectural elements that harmonize with the existing structure energizes the space and fuses the past and present.
“Frankly we asked (Houser Walker Architecture) to do the impossible (renovate 40,000 SF for $50 per foot) with engineered drawings and the need for high architectural impact in the historic sanctuary. Their team did an amazing job in the drawing, bidding and contract arenas while not compromising on the architectural details. Simply, they never pushed their designs on us but coached us toward the difficult balance between cost and art while pleasing just about everyone. Amazing!”
– Rev. Lang Lowery, Diocesan Vicar, St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church
One building of the renovated campus founded the new St. Benedict’s Day School.
Photo credit, Bill Monk.