Dowdle Construction Group Begins Construction on Bellevue Church Project
Former movie theater being converted into The Hills Nashville church
Dowdle Construction Group announced that they have begun the construction phase on the movie theater-turned-church in Bellevue on behalf of the owner, The Hills Nashville and their pastors John and Kristin Ragsdale.
The 32,061-square-foot building, located at 120 Belle Forest Circle in Nashville, will be home to The Hills Nashville, which began in 2010 in the Ragsdale’s home. After steady growth, the church was officially established in 2012 and has since been functioning out of a variety of facilities on a temporary basis. Their new permanent home will eventually include a 600-seat main auditorium, a youth auditorium and recreational space, a kids auditorium, a dedicated special needs room, offices for clergy and an outdoor prayer space.
When church services and activities are not in session, the church will partner with Three One Three, who will utilize the space for events and coworking. All coworking logistics will be handled by Three One Three, which specializes in running coworking spaces out of churches (The company’s name represents the 313 days in a year that a church typically goes unused.) The company’s owner, Brennon Mobley, is a member of The Hills.
“I have a paper that I’ve been doodling on for years, imagining all that we could do with our own building when we got one,” said Pastor John Ragsdale. “About five years ago, I added the word ‘cowork’ to the paper, thinking it could be the perfect fit for the vision we had of creating a true community center. When Brennon first attended our church and told me what he does, it was like it all clicked into place. I knew it was meant to be.”
Dowdle completed interior demolition and structural work during the demolition phase. Phase one of construction involves a partial interior buildout in which 40 percent of the building’s space will be renovated, including the entrance, atrium, kid’s space and restrooms. A sanctuary will also be constructed. Dowdle expects to complete this phase in December or January.
The building’s design, by Dryden Architecture and Design (DAAD), is heavily influenced by Kristin’s creative eye. It will feature a large stained glass window saved from a previously torn-down church building, which harkens back to the Baptist church she grew up in, as well as topographical scenes from the nearby hills incorporated throughout. It was also important to Kristin to keep some of the theater’s original facade, use the original concrete flooring and restore as much as possible.
“We’ve had so many people tell us of the great memories they have of coming here to see a movie with their families, so I love that the design bridges the old with the new. I’m calling it ‘vintage modern,’” said Pastor Kristin Ragsdale. “It’s going to be really bright on the inside with light colors and natural wood. We wanted to make sure it’s a place that people feel comfortable walking into – we want it to feel inviting, because everyone is welcome at The Hills.”
“We’re so thankful for Dowdle, DAAD & Justin Herrera of Clean Slate Construction Consulting for their hard work in getting us to this point of the project,” Pastor John Ragsdale added. “We can’t wait for it to be finished and to see their hard work come to life as our new church space!”
Herrera is overseeing the project and is a member of The Hills.