Mathews Architecture

First Congregational UCC of Asheville Renovations

Since the FCUCC community first purchased their historic downtown 1920’s stone church with a 1960’s era education building addition around 2004, we have provided them with a number of facility studies, code and ADA evaluations, and  comprehensive facility renovation designs which have been used to construct upgrades.

The facility had a number of deferred maintenance issues and was comprised of a number of floors, at various levels, with only one, the lower level of the education wing, having accessibility from a rear grade entrance.

The largest of these projects we helped the FCUCC community with  was renovation of the lower level of the church to upgrade the fellowship hall for a variety of uses including dinners, performances, and temporary use as a shelter.

We enlarged and brought into commercial compliance their church kitchen and added accessible restrooms and a shower, and linked this level with ramps to the education building and through an existing stairway to a lift that led to an exterior accessible ramp/entry that we designed and was added in a previous renovation.

New building systems were added to serve this lower level including the addition of geothermal heating/cooling. A continuous “loop” system was also added below the floor finishes to provide hearing assistance to those with hearing loss.

A subsequent project was recently completed to provide a new accessible ramp, at the front of the church,  to the entrance of the education wing.
The First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown Asheville.
The entrance into the lower level, showing the changes that improved accessibility.
The improved stair to the main level.
The Fellowship Hall after renovation was completed.
Another view of the Fellowship Hall showing the stage and curtained screen that were preserved.
The renovated bathroom.
The renovated and updated service corridor connecting the kitchen to the Fellowship Hall.
The updated kitchen.
The Fellowship Hall before renovations began.
Another view of the Fellowship Hall before renovations began.
The Fellowship Hall before renovation.
The service corridor before renovation.
The renovation plan showing all the improvements that were made.