We’ve been looking for several years and very intentionally pursuing a space in the last 18 months. We’ve received lots of input from the church through our Town Halls along the way. Our building team, including those with skills in real estate, law, and financing, along with our elders, have worked hard to find a suitable location. Much prayer has gone into this process, including prayers from many in our church. Our team made serious attempts at a couple of properties. We believe the process led us to this property, which we are now under contract to purchase.

We will have fantastic space for worship gatherings with about 270 seats and room for ministry to about 100 kids. There will be lots of flex space which will accommodate students, Equipping classes, men’s and women’s gatherings, and other ministry opportunities at different times of the week. We will also have close proximity to the University of Central Oklahoma, which opens up a whole new mission field for students as well as internationals. This purchase allows us to put down roots in an amazing location with room to grow. We envision adding a second building to the west of the current building, and there may be an opportunity to purchase an adjacent lot.

For the first time, we will have a ministry hub that is available to us throughout the entire week. This will allow our current ministries – worship, children, students, redemption groups, women, men, leader development, and equipping classes to meet more frequently and during more strategic times. We have always had a heart to host special events (weddings, funerals, concerts, conferences, etc.) in our city, and this new space will allow us to do so. Our vision for the space includes more opportunities for engaging our culture in creative ways as well as for training in Bible, theology, spiritual life, marriage, parenting, and more. Our space will allow us to better prioritize serving the needs of our city and world.

Because this is an urban, downtown area, parking on location is limited. Our plan to add 35 or so parking spaces on-site to serve those who need close proximity to entrances. In the next 24 months, there will be a new parking garage with 60 public spots directly across the street as well as new diagonal parking all along Main Street and Hurd Street, which will also receive new lighting and landscaping. Beyond these, the parking lot at the Railyard is a public lot (83 spaces). Additionally, there is significant parking available along all streets as well as in public lots at the Farmer’s Market (103 spaces), Icehouse District (86 spaces), etc. The city is committed to developing more public parking as the density downtown increases. As a church, our busiest hours are usually at times when parking is available in most areas. We envision the creation of a Parking Team to help direct people, and possibly golf-cart-style shuttles or something similar to make this a fun and welcoming first impression.

This property is large enough to meet our current ministry needs and allows for space to grow. We will explore opportunities to add new service times, which will allow us to expand our capacity significantly. We are also designing the current buildout with future phases included in our master plan. Future phases will increase capacity in the current building, as well as adding a second multi-level building to the west of the current structure. We are confident this location provides plenty of room to grow as our need for space expands.

• December 13, 2021 — We closed on the purchase of the building.
• January - November 2022 —  Completing architectural A&E work, hiring general contractors, obtaining permits & approvals, etc.
• We hope to start construction in December 2022 (an estimated 4-6 month process.)

The total cost of the purchase and build-out of Phase 1 is currently estimated at $3,036,000. The purchase price for the land and existing structures is $1,250,000. The current estimated cost to retrofit the existing structures and develop the site to suit our needs is $1,786,000. These numbers are based on current pricing and estimates provided by the architectural firm we are working with. Exact numbers may fluctuate as plans are finalized, contractors are selected, and purchases are made.

We raised $300,000 cash in the first phase of the HOME Campaign, as well as pledges for another $200,000 expected to come in over the next two years. We have been approved for a loan of $1,655,990* from Water’s Edge, a ministry-related lender through Oklahoma Baptists, who use the interest payments to help fund other ministries around the world. We will raise the additional $1,080,010 funds needed through our HOME Campaign.

*The first twelve months of the loan are structured as a Construction Phase in which we make interest-only payments at a rate of 4.4%. After year one, the twenty-five year Permanent Financing Phase includes an initial five-year adjustable rate of 4.9%. There are no early payoff penalties, and our desire would be to payoff our loan as fast as reasonably possible.

Phase 2 includes buildout of a multilevel building to the west of the existing structure. This building would allow for us to expand the seating in our worship space, add more space for kids and students, adult classrooms, offices, and more. There may also be an opportunity to purchase an adjacent lot. We are designing a master plan to incorporate these future developments, but details would obviously depend on vision, growth, ministry opportunities, and available funds.

We are working with a team that includes our church staff, elders, building team, and a few others with design experience. We have hired a local architectural firm that specializes in churches, who has offices in downtown Edmond. You can see their work here. We will update you regularly through Town Halls and other communications.

Yes. In order to complete the full buildout of our Phase 1 design, we need to raise an additional $1,080,010 (as of Jan. 2022.) Every dollar given to our HOME Fund will help us meet this goal. We want to provide an opportunity for as many people in our community as possible to contribute to the establishment of our permanent home. Once we have completed the full Phase 1 buildout, future fundraising would be needed for Phase 2: a second, larger building to the west of the current building. If available, we would also consider a purchase of an adjacent lot of land.

You are welcome to contact our elders with questions or suggestions – Chris Clark, David Cole, Cameron Turner, or Jeff Lawrence; or email the group at elders@redemptionokc.com.