JOHNS ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN

Johns Island, SC

Believed to have been built in 1719, this church’s impressive history is a great source of pride for the congregation and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

SMHa and land planners SeamonWhiteside developed a 30,348-square-foot masterplan on the 41-acre site to support the church’s current space needs and future growth, including new recreation, multi-purpose, and education buildings and fellowship hall. The design objective was to tread as lightly as possible on this rural land, placing structures and parking where trees allowed.

To support the church’s capital campaign, SMHa developed character sketches of the master plan and some of the envisioned buildings. The 3,100-square-foot Sanctuary renovation and restoration required coordination with the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and adherence to the Federal Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation Improvements.

SMHa and its consulting engineers conducted a full evaluation of the building, reviewing existing structural and electrical systems and performing a full inventory of window conditions. The resulting renovation included bringing the Sanctuary to current codes and reconfiguring the kitchen, bathrooms, and stairway.