Location: 
Glen Allen, Virginia
Total Square Feet: 19,770
Construction Period: Apr 2001 to Mar 2003

Construction Team
General Contractor: Gulf Seaboard General Contractors, Inc. - 629 North Washington Highway, Ashland, VA 23005
Structural Engineer: Dunbar Milby Williams Pittman & Vaughan - 611 Moorefield Park Drive, #A, Richmond, VA 23236
CIVIL Engineer: E. D. Lewis & Associates, P.C. - 2116 Spencer Road, Richmond, VA 23230
Electrical & Mechanical Engineer: Ostergren, P.C. - 10503 Marlboro Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23116
Landscape Design: 
Shipp & Wilson Landscaping - 10318 Washington Highway,  Ashland, VA 23005

In late May of 1992, 180 families attended Liturgies at the new St. Michael, The Archangel, Roman Catholic Church, located in the rapidly growing west end of Richmond, Virginia. Services at that time were held at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church and Short Pump Middle School, as the new parish had no home of its own. By 1994 St. Michael's had grown to 760 families and begun Phase One of a Master Plan with the purchase of a new 17 acre site. 

In May, 1998 St. Michael's contracted with John L. Bock, Architect and Canova Associates Architecture (a joint venture) to develop a new master plan. With the church, having grown to approximately 1,500 families, the need for space had become critical. Priorities were established with the centerpiece being a worship space for 1,000 with a new expanded commons area. Other needs also included: Doubling of existing educational space; Providing space for administrative offices within the main structure (originally in an old residence on the site); Conversion of the existing worship space into a parish hall with commercial kitchen; Doubling parking capacity; and Redevelopment of the site to take the best advantage of the acreage and existing features.

The plan for the worship space was studied in detail with Liturgical concerns being the driving factor. The final design became a "Church in the Round" utilizing individual chair seating on the lower sloped level and true radius pews on the upper, tiered level. This configuration resulted in a substantially reduced physical distance between the celebrant and parishioners that generates an intimacy and sense of community while celebrating Mass. The worship space roof plan reflects a cross, accentuated by four large dormers, one for each of the four Gospels, each enclosed with stained glass art depicting a scene from that particular Gospel.

The worship space is topped with a cupola, glazed on four sides to provide additional diffused light through a wooden grid housing specialty lighting and concealed speakers. 

The 17 acre site was seen as an opportunity to take the parish ministries beyond the confines of the church's walls. The one-acre plus pond, used as a storm water management basin, had become overgrown and largely ignored. The new site development plan made a feature of the pond, regrading and reshaping to allow for a footbridge over part of the pond to complete the circuit for a Prayer Path. 

Construction began in May 2001 with dedication of the new worship space in October 2002. The project was brought in within budget, allowing for the completion of the site features, additional statuary and furnishings. St. Michael's continues to grow and is currently home to more than 1,800 families.

In addition to the Project Team, the following Subcontractors also contributed to the success of St. Michael's: Site/G.L. Pruett; Masonry/Breedlove Masonry; Steel/Hermitage Steel; Roofing/Hertless Brothers; Hardware/Architctural Hardware; Storefront/W.H. Stovall; Wood Windows/Windows & More; Ceilings/Manson & Utley; Drywall/M.E.M. Interiors; Tile/F.M. Mason; Painting/N.Chasen & Son; Carpet/Hodgmans; Sprinklers/Fire Protection Equipment Co.; HVAC/Southworth Mechanical; Electrical/Tolley Electric. 

MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS

DIV 07: Shingles: Elk; EPDM: Firestone; EIFS: Senergy. 
DIV 08: Fire Partitions: Won Door; Aluminum Storefront: EFCO Corporation; Wood Windows & Doors: Weathershield; Interior Doors: Mohawk.
DIV 09: Acoustical Ceilings: Armstrong; Wood Ceilings: Rulon; Resilient Flooring: Mannington; Carpet: Mannington, Mohawk. 
DIV 12: Pews: New Holland; Bells: The Verdin Company.