Congregational Church of Batavia, Batavia, IL

JNKA’s gathering space addition to the Congregational Church of Batavia successfully expanded the existing facilities with much-needed fellowship space while integrating into the historic, Civil War era structure. Although population shifts suggested that moving to a new out-of-town site might provide a better option for growth, the congregation elected to stay and embrace the challenges of their location in Batavia’s town center. JNKA designed the massing and traditional details of the addition to respect the original church’s architectural vision. The resulting functionality incorporated into this final piece of the church complex will help the church remain a community symbol for its members and visitors of the historic river town.