St. John's Church, school plan for expansion

Plans for a 29,000 square foot addition and a large renovation to the existing St. John's Lutheran Church and school building, located at 1011 W. University in Rochester, have been received by the city of Rochester for review.

Rochester planning commissioners held a preliminary plan review at their meeting on Wednesday, January 3.

The preliminary plan is an opportunity to present the plan to the city and planning commission and receive feedback before submitting a formal site plan. The preliminary plan was received and reviewed by the city's planning consultant, said Vidya Krishnan, of McKenna Associates.

"We have reviewed a proposal from St. John's Lutheran Church to build a 29,000 square foot addition to the existing church and school building, and significantly renovate the existing building housing the school," she said in the review.

The site is located on the southwest corner of W. University and Helen Avenue. St. John's Lutheran Church was established in 1920, with the existing church constructed in 1950.

Included in the preliminary review was a list of 14 items the applicant is required to address prior to submitting a formal site plan. Those items include ingress and egress access drives; questions about a one-way traffic loop for drop-off and pick-up of preschoolers; parking and driveways; sidewalks; lighting; landscaping; building materials; and signage.

A formal site plan is expected to be submitted and considered in the coming months.