Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement
Arlington, TX

Arlington Center for Community Engagement

Arlington, TX

St. Albans Episcopal Church created the Arlington Center for Community Engagement and Wellspring on Main after they lost their building and rented space in a theater for 13 years. The congregation, with the support of the Diocese of Texas, is rethinking the nature of religious space and the traditional presence of church in the community.

The project is in the downtown cultural district of Arlington Texas in the former JC Penny – Arlington Museum of Art building. The project will renovate the existing building to create a community gathering hall, which the parish sees as a secular space that gathers people together for the betterment of everyone in our community. In their words, “Here is where a variety of people cross paths and get to know one another in order to build respect for the dignity of every human being. By providing lower-cost workspace for community-building non-profit organizations, gathering spaces for small to medium-sized groups and the arts, as well as programs that address poverty and cross-cultural discord, Wellspring facilitates health and well-being for all.”

Duvall Decker is serving as development consultant and design architect for the realization of the project. We have helped build a broad base of consensus amongst many stakeholders and partners including the City of Arlington, the Diocese of Texas, the Arlington Museum of Art, the University of Arlington College of Architecture, the Brookings Institute, and the Episcopal Church Building Fund.

The 56,000-square-foot, mixed-use development will be realized in two phases. Phase I includes the gathering hall, church, and nonprofit offices, and Phase II, the restaurant, coffee shop, office, and affordable housing organized around a public courtyard.

Duvall Decker is assisted by Design Jones, Walter P. Moore, Newcomb & Boyd, Tillotson Design Associates, and Graham Associates.