Perched atop a small hill in Waynesboro, Virginia, this brand new, 16,000 square foot Catholic Church stands radiantly for all to see. Contracted in November 2018 with an 18-month construction timeframe, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church offers some of the most unique designs and features ever performed by Nielsen.

This breathtaking house of worship offers a full sanctuary, nave, and chapel, spacious bathrooms, a narthex, baptistery, offices, and much more. It presents a very open floor plan with interior ceilings rising over 50 feet tall and natural light shining through the beautiful, arched windows illuminating the wondrous details throughout. More so, the interior is accented with elegant wood trim spanning from front to back, plaster formed columns from floor to ceiling, and custom painting.

On the exterior, the insulated concrete formed (ICF) walls are completely covered with a fieldstone veneer and complimenting limestone accent. Not only the walls, but the prominent 108-foot tall bell tower is also encased in the same veneer and accent covering. Additionally, another eye-catching feature is the covered walkway as it displays exposed timber framing and a purpose of protecting guests from the weather.

Overall, this project was highly anticipated by both the owner and Nielsen due to the nature of it. Before contractual acceptance though, a short phase of value engineering (VE) was performed to incorporate budget friendly alterations providing the owners with a more favorable end cost. Through cooperation and teamwork between both parties, this marvelous structure transformed from paper drawings to actual reality.

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