Project Overview

Cottage Hill Baptist Church in Mobile AL started in 1944 with (28) members. The growth of the church led them to build new sanctuary space in the mid-1980s. In 2013, it was time to renovate that space. The church, now led by Senior Pastor, Dr. Alan Floyd, contracted Paragon 360™ in March of 2013 to start discussions about modernizing that space.

“When I became the Pastor at Cottage Hill, the church members asked me if we could start a transition to remodel and update the sanctuary stage if I became their Pastor,” said Pastor Floyd. “The 1980s design of our stage included a large concrete choir loft in a semicircular design where no one faced the audience. The stage had acoustical issues, a large pipe organ, and a very traditional design. After changing the worship style and selling the pipe organ, the church draped a large black curtain in front of the choir loft, which was not a pleasing look. The remodel of this space became one of my first priorities.”

"The congregation is extremely pleased with the look, the layout and the design of the new space. The thing I am most pleased with is its functionality."

— Dr. Alan Floyd, Pastor

A Design That Minimized Costly Demolition

Paragon’s design plan included some very basic cost-effective solutions that dramatically minimized demolition and reconstruction. “The existing, problematic choir loft was going to be cost prohibitive to fix,” stated Donnie Brawner, Paragon 360™ CEO. “We came up with a plan to block, hide and essentially wall off the old choir loft areas and then work in front of that space by creating a new background wall. With some minor modifications to the stage design, we were able to accommodate the necessary choir and orchestra members without having to utilize any of the old choir loft space. This design concept alone saved the church hundreds of thousands in the demolition of the existing choir loft.”

Custom Solutions

Paragon's new stage design included a custom built, scenic, wood/slat, illuminated 32’ wall that spanned 48’ across the stage that essentially blocked off the old choir loft area. The wall included doors for backstage access, two changeable graphic boxes, a center video screen, a recessed choir entrance/exit and an illuminated cross at the top. The wall is framed in metal banding work with four 45’ illuminated columns with matching wood treatments.

Paragon 360™ utilized its modular staaging with matching wood treatments to extend the stage at the corners and center providing a modular choir riser system for up to (90) people. The stage extensions and choir risers were surrounded in acrylic glass railings. The existing lighting system was also upgraded with some new fixtures as part of this project. Throughout the renovation, the church was able to continue holding services in the sanctuary. The new stage space was completed in early January 2014.

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