Rising from Ashes: Penn Valley Community Church Rebuilds

by Richard Baker in Commercial architecture | April 27, 2016

In the early morning hours of September 13, 2014, the Penn Valley Community Church was engulfed in flames and totally destroyed. The 13,000 square-foot structure, built in the 1980’s when neither sprinklers nor fire alarms were required, was a spiritual home to more than 90 parishoners from the local area. It was a devastating loss; fortunately, no one was injured in the fire.

Following the fire, the Penn Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church stepped forward to help Pastor David Hagey and his congregation in their time of need. The church has also used Ready Springs Elementary School and Western Gateway Park, as well as commercial space in a nearby shopping center for their administrative offices.

The church itself isn’t really a building. The building is a means to an end. The church is a group of people who believe in Jesus as their lord and savior – Pastor David Hagey

A Time to Rebuild

Once the Church was ready to rebuild, a special committee selected Siteline out of a handful of other applicants.

Siteline presented Penn Valley Community Church with designs for a new, modern, 13,700 square-foot place of worship that includes a main Worship Hall, a Fellowship Hall, four classrooms, a conference room, childcare facilities and a contemporary kitchen. To meet modern safety requirements, fire suppression, alarms and pressurized, on-site water storage systems have also been incorporated into the design.

Final demolition of the fire-damaged structure was completed in early 2016 and the project is expected to gain approval from the Nevada County Planning staff before the end of June. Groundbreaking for the new church is expected to begin later this year.

It’s fulfilling work to create a space for a community to meet and worship. – Richard Baker

Siteline Architecture is proud to be a part of bringing a new house of worship for the Penn Valley Community Church and its congregation.