institutional

City of Refuge Christian Church — New Sanctuary Campus

Preconstruction and construction management for a new 7,864 SF sanctuary and campus development on a 6-acre site in Portage, Indiana — serving a growing multicultural congregation and the broader Northwest Indiana community.

Location
Portage, IN
Year
2026
Client
City of Refuge Christian Church - Northwest Indiana
Services
Construction Management

The Challenge

A growing multicultural congregation with expanding community ministries needed a purpose-built sanctuary to match the scale of their mission — but building a new facility from the ground up requires navigating design, procurement, and financing decisions that fall well outside a church leadership team's core expertise.

Our Approach

MVGeneral has served as construction manager from the earliest preconstruction phase — helping the church hire an architect, procuring designs to support fundraising and financing initiatives, and managing consultant procurement including geotechnical services. As the project advances through fundraising, MVGeneral will continue as construction manager through closeout.

The Results

The project is currently in preconstruction, with architectural designs and site plans complete. These deliverables are actively supporting the church's fundraising and financing efforts to move the project into construction.

A Congregation Ready to Build

City of Refuge Christian Church - Northwest Indiana is a multicultural, faith-driven congregation rooted in service. From worship and weekly bible studies to early childhood education, counseling, and community outreach — their programming has grown well beyond what their current facility can support.

The church’s 6-acre campus at 5402 US Highway 6 in Portage currently includes an existing building and parking lot. The vision: a new, purpose-built sanctuary that gives the congregation and the broader Northwest Indiana community a gathering place designed for how they actually worship, learn, and serve.

The Project

The new sanctuary is designed at approximately 7,864 square feet with seating for 240 parishioners, purpose-built to accommodate the full range of CORCC-NWI’s weekly operations and community programming:

  • Sanctuary — 240-seat worship space with raised stage, backstage, and sound booth
  • Fellowship Hall — Flexible gathering space with shutter-door pass-through to the warming kitchen
  • Nursery and Classrooms — Dedicated spaces for early childhood and educational programming
  • Administrative Wing — Pastor’s offices and administrative space
  • Entry with Vaulted Ceiling — A welcoming arrival experience for the congregation and visitors

The site plan accounts for growth with a future classroom addition of approximately 3,917 square feet — designed from the start so the campus can expand as the congregation’s ministry grows, without requiring a redesign.

Our Role

MVGeneral has served as construction manager on this project since the preconstruction phase, working directly with church leadership to lay the groundwork for a successful build:

  • Architect procurement — Helped the church identify and hire the right architect for their project scope and budget
  • Design management — Guided the development of architectural designs and site plans that serve both the congregation’s immediate needs and long-term growth
  • Consultant procurement — Managed the RFP process for geotechnical services and other preconstruction consultants
  • Fundraising and financing support — Procured design deliverables specifically to support the church’s capital campaign and financing initiatives

MVGeneral will continue as construction manager through closeout once the project advances to construction — the same team, from first conversation to final walkthrough.

Project Status

This project is currently in preconstruction. Architectural designs, site plans, and geotechnical scoping are complete. The church is actively fundraising and pursuing financing to advance to the construction phase.

For a faith-based organization, every dollar carries the weight of the congregation’s trust. The preconstruction work MVGeneral has managed ensures that when those funds are committed, they’re backing a project that’s been planned with discipline — clear scope, realistic budget, and a facility designed to serve the community for generations.

Planning a community or faith-based facility? Start a conversation about how MVGeneral can guide your project from first concept through construction closeout.

Ready to Start Your Project?

Let's discuss your project. Whether you need an owner's representative, a construction partner, or diverse procurement expertise — we're ready.

Let's Build Together (317) 756-7453