Members of the Pacific Beach Christian Church can look forward to settling into a newly renovated facility this fall. The construction of the Church’s expansion at 1074 Loring St. nears completion after more than a year and a half of acquiring the appropriate permits and addressing parking and height concerns.
Rumors the expansion would include a substance abuse rehabilitation center were dispelled by church Pastor Brian Daly.
While the church does host a Christian-centered recovery support group similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, Daly said there aren’t any plans to expand it into a rehabilitation program.
He said the new facilities would host fellowships and various community projects and is not designed to house people.
“Particularly being in North PB which is more residential, we’re really trying to be sensitive to the needs of our neighbors as well and not create a negative impact. Our desire is create a positive impact in which the church would actually benefit the community and not be a detriment to it,” Daly said.
Church has been holding services for 14 years and has always tried to balance community concerns, like parking, with the needs of the church members, he said.
The renovation of the existing building brings classrooms for the church’s youth ministry and a new multi-purpose sanctuary to provide a larger space for about 30 more chairs. The church knocked down a house to make way for the new facility.
Increasing church capacity from 115 to 145 people required Daly to add an additional 10 parking spaces to the parking lot and the adjacent alley, he said.
But even with parking being as scarce as it is near the beach areas, at least one neighbor doesn’t seem to mind. Karen Dodge, a real estate agent who lives on the next block over said she doesn’t mind trading a minor parking inconvenience on Sundays for the positive influence the church brings to the neighborhood and rest of the community.
“Brian is an asset and so is his church ” that’s the bottom line,” Dodge said.
Though the neighborhood has recently been crowded Sunday mornings during the construction because the parking lot was closed, Dodge said only neighbors living close by are most inconvenienced by it.
Along with Sunday services and other fellowship events, the PB Christian Church has for years hosted an alternative Halloween celebration for parents and children that includes games and food. The intergenerational church also hosts a monthly men’s breakfast, a Christian women’s fellowship, a senior’s group and various holiday events.
For more information visit www.PBChristian.com.