Here’s the church, here’s the new addition

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Northbrook Church in the village of Richfield doesn’t look like what many would picture as a typical building of worship.

That was precisely the congregation’s intent as it went about a nearly $7 million addition project.

In all, the church received a 35,000-square-foot addition that includes an 800-plus seat theater-like worship area, added fellowship space, a cafe, bookstore and an education space for both youth groups and adults.

Mike Bellanti, pastor at Northbrook Church, said there were two reasons the congregation outgrew the building it had been in off Highway 167.

For starters, membership at the church has increased in the past six years. The congregation, as a result, simply became too large for the space.

Also, the building’s traditional look did not seem to suit the younger group of churchgoers who were starting to attend. They were looking for something that would provide more of a communal environment.

“The way they operate is not just church on Sunday, it’s almost like a daily activity and family center,” said Mika Frank, project manager at Groth Design Group, the Cedarburg-based firm that served as the project’s architect.

What people probably think of when they hear the word “church” — a long, white building with large doors in the front, topped by a tall steeple with a large cross — simply wouldn’t serve the purpose.

Bellanti said a lot of structures built in that style come off as “dark and stuffy.” Northbrook Church was looking for something brighter and more modern.

The bookstore and cafe offer attractions that are otherwise in short supply in Richfield, a small community northwest of Milwaukee.

Additionally, the tall glass windows allow people standing outside to see what’s going on inside throughout the week. Bellanti said he wanted the church to spark the curiosity of those driving by.

Work on the addition lasted about 13 months, beginning in June 2014. Groth Design Group cooperated closely with both the church and the construction manager, VJS Construction Services of Pewaukee, to ensure the project was built according to its aggressive schedule.

Nearly a year removed from the project’s completion, Northbrook Church’s congregation is getting good use of the additional space, Bellanti said. Additionally, he noted that church membership has increased by 21 percent.

“(The space) is being utilized in a lot of great ways,” he said.

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