BOSTON — Groom Construction, Co., Inc. and LDa Architecture & Interiors recently completed the construction of the First Baptist Church in Wakefield, MA .
On the evening of October 23, 2018, the First Baptist Church was struck by lightning, causing a devastating 7-alarm fire that destroyed the historic 148-year-old building. The church worked with LDa Architecture & Interiors to create a design for the new building, which broke ground in April of 2023.
The new church was built on land where the old church once stood and was designed to meet the needs of the congregation today. There are open and airy spaces in the Fellowship Hall and the Sanctuary, the two largest rooms in the building. All of the spaces are designed for multi-purpose use, which includes Sunday worship activities as well as weekday and evening concerts, classes, clubs, conferences, activities, and general community events, and there are dedicated spaces for infants, toddlers, children, and teens. In addition, the new building features a large hospitality kitchen and lounge for serving refreshments at services, activities, and events. The new building will serve a thriving, multi-generational congregation and support current church ministries that will continue to bless others locally, nationally, and globally.
“We are thrilled with how the church turned out! We knew we wanted to create something special to glorify God from the outset, and LDa and Groom didn’t disappoint. The new church building has not only restored the architectural void left in Wakefield Center when the old church burnt down in 2018 but has also attracted a vibrant, multicultural, multi-generational group of people for spiritual and community activities.” Elaine Pappas, Building Team Chair, First Baptist Church of Wakefield.
“God is doing a new thing at First Baptist. The new building represents a new energy, focus and strategy to connect the next generations to the love and life of Jesus. We’re excited to see who God is calling out to join us in this mission. Many thanks to our teammates at LDa and Groom Construction. They rose to the challenge of designing and building a facility that fit our budget and gives us a great platform for ministry to all ages. We are loving our new worship, fellowship and outreach center!” said Pastor Douglas Dry, First Baptist Church of Wakefield.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have brought this meaningful project to life. We understand the deep significance this building holds for the parish and community, and we’re proud to have been part of it. Our team thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with everyone at First Baptist Church, and it was a pleasure once again working with the talented architectural team at LDa Architecture & Interiors,” said Mike Allan, Project Manager, Groom Construction.
Kim Barnett, Principal at LDa, shared the following: “It is incredibly rewarding to see the First Baptist Church’s new building completed in Wakefield Center. LDa’s goal while designing the new building, guided by the dedicated church building committee, was to create a welcoming home for the congregation and the Wakefield community. Placing the new building on the same corner where the historic church stood helps to connect this new chapter of the congregation’s story to those that came before. We hope that the large windows on Common Street into the sanctuary provide great natural light for those using the space and invite town residents to peek inside and learn more about all the activities within. We are thankful to the great team at Groom Construction for helping to bring our vision into reality.”
