Algonquin Village Board OKs Plans for New Church

Last month, Algonquin approved plans for the to expand to an 18-acre site at the northeast corner of Longmeadow Parkway and Sleepy Hollow Road.

Before construction can get under way, the church needs to sell its building at 100 Hanson Road, said Katie Parkhurst, senior planner at the .

“There is no starting construction date because the church is in the process of raising funds,” she said. “The current location is for sale and once that sells, then the church can move forward with its new plans."

The new church will be constructed in two phases.

The first phase will take place within the next few years. The church first will build 32,000 square feet of classrooms and a sanctuary, according to minutes from the Feb. 14 Algonquin committee of the whole meeting. The second phase will be completed as the congregation grows and will house offices and meeting rooms.

Parkhurst said church representatives approached the village in 2003 when the congregation was starting to outgrow its existing facility. For the past several years, the village has been working with church representatives to find land and to walk them through the approval process.

The , which has a 300-seat sanctuary and 200-space parking lot, has had an average of 700 people attending every weekend for 10 years, according to the church’s website. Last fall, the church began renting out space in for its Sunday morning services.

The planning and zoning commission recommended approval more than a year ago, and village trustees gave final approval at the Feb. 21 meeting.