Church Gives Council Preview of Relocation

Westlake Village City Council got an early look at Calvary Community Church’s plans to relocate to the former Eaton Corp. building to accommodate the growing congregation.

“We’re very excited about this,” Executive Pastor Bob Feitl told the council at its meeting Wednesday night. “But this is a concept plan. There’s nothing concrete other than the existing concrete buildings. We’re here to get feedback.”

The Westlake Village church plans to renovate the manufacturing building on La Tienda Drive in two phases, and subdivide the property for the development of a four-year Christian high school.

Church officials, who have yet to file applications with the city, said they are still in escrow to purchase the 35-acre property.

The first phase of construction, which church officials hope to complete by fall 1998, involves adding several thousand square feet of space to the existing 308,000 to create administration offices, meeting rooms and a 2,000-seat sanctuary, or Celebration Center.

The concept design also plans for a 1,200-student coed high school on the western half of the site, built and maintained by Cornerstone Academy and funded by the Price Family Foundation.

The school would be housed in an existing two-story building, and a gymnasium, baseball field, football/soccer stadium, a pool and tennis courts would be constructed.

The second phase would add another 70,000 square feet of space to expand the sanctuary and to add an early childhood education center.

In the meeting, council members noted that the project could have traffic and parking problems, issues that church officials said they can address effectively.

“We’re excited mostly about the parking,” Feitl said, to laughter and nods from the several dozen congregants in attendance.

By relocating, the church will increase its parking from 50 spaces now to nearly 1,200 spaces, officials said.