Like a conductor directing an orchestra, Chapel Hill architect Keith Shaw, principal of Shaw Design Associates, will direct a “building blitz” later this month as local volunteers and another 55 volunteers from as far away as Trinidad come together to construct New Life Fellowship’s new 6184-sq. ft. fellowship hall and classroom in just 12 days.
With help from general contractor AG Builders, the blitz will take place at the church’s new campus — 166 Weaver Dairy Rd.– from Oct. 25 to Nov. 5. It will begin with a foundational slab in place and end with all interior walls framed and the Prairie Style exterior nearly completed.
“It’s going to be an exciting opportunity to witness what can be accomplished in a short time when everyone involved is so dedicated to the outcome,” Shaw said.
Well-known for the estate homes he’s designed within the gates of The Governor’s Club in Chapel Hill, Keith Shaw is also a lay leader in New Life Fellowship, a Seventh-day Adventist Church currently in Durham. As such, he and the congregation called upon Maranatha International, a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, to make this building blitz happen.
A non-profit organization, Maranatha assists with at least a dozen construction projects in North America each year by mobilizing volunteers. Projects range from renovations of existing buildings to new construction.
New Life Fellowship’s building blitz will cover Phase One of the total project. Phase Two will add a 7,010-sq. ft. main lobby and 300-seat sanctuary to the 3.5-acre church campus.
Primary exterior building materials will include six-inch energy-saving SIPS wall panels (structural insulated panels), Hardie Shake siding, brick and stone. All lighting will be LED, and will be donated to the project.
According to Shaw, the volunteer labor and lighting donation will provide a huge cost savings for the church. Site work is estimated at $475,000 with construction cost projected as $500,000.
For more information on the 12-day building blitz, follow New Life Fellowship’s Facebook page.