HELPING CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS GROW
Commercial construction projects are challenging enough, but building a new church is even more difficult.
That’s because there’s a complexity to creating a vision that meets a congregation’s expectations, developing a budget that members will support financially and ensuring that the space can serve multiple needs.
Scherer Construction of North Florida has developed a niche in church design and construction, and its experience is invaluable, said Erik Brooks, the youth pastor of the Williston Church of God.
“Scherer got everyone on board to help us create a building that not only met our current needs but also provided us with a master plan for future growth,” Brooks said.
The Williston Church of God building is also highly energy efficient. Although it’s 3 times the square feet in size, the electric bill only increased 30% due to a material suggestion by Scherer, Brooks said.
“The energy efficiency helps free up money for our ministry,” Brooks said.
Scherer also plans the annual unEarth Conference held by the National Association of Church Design Builders each spring, and it is consulting on about 20 churches that are in various phases of construction projects.
“I recommend Scherer to other churches because they invested in us, and I like to invest in them,” Brooks said.
Scherer’s comprehensive approach to church construction illustrates the company’s thoroughness, said President Doug Wilcox.
“We’re not just builders; we’re a full service provider,” he said. “We are rare among construction companies in helping our client with the entire process of a project — including site planning, design and building.”
Another example of the Scherer approach is its work with the Alexander DeGance Barnett law firm in Jacksonville.
The company purchased a lot in the revitalized Brooklyn area of Jacksonville, and it had budgeted $900,000 to construct a new building.
The firm first approached a building and design company that proposed a two-story, $3 million project.
“They were frustrated, and they came to us for help,” Wilcox said. “We developed a plan for a one-story building that cost less $900,000 and still met all of their requirements.”
They were able to move in this October, early and under-budget.
“Scherer helped us turn our dream of designing and owning our own law firm building into a reality,” said Michelle Barnett, Partner at ADB. “The entire Scherer team was great to work with during the construction.”
PROBLEM-SOLVING FOR COMMUNITY
Scherer lends its expertise and resources to solving problems in the community.
That work includes building projects and service work for the Salvation Army, YMCA, and Boy Scouts.
A recent Salvation Army project was building a new dining hall at Camp Keystone in Bradford County after a July 2013 fire destroyed the original dining hall.
The company built the new $5 million dining hall within four and a half months, and had it ready for the next camp session.
“They did the impossible in moving through design, permitting and construction,” said Captain Preston Lewis, who headed the Salvation Army in Gainesville at the time.
“They were patient with the long and tedious approval process that the Salvation Army uses to make sure it gets what it pays for,” he added.
Scherer also built 13 camp cabins, a holiness center and multipurpose facility at Camp Keystone, and it has remodeled more than 15 family thrift stores for the Salvation Army.
Wilcox is a longtime member of the Gainesville Salvation Army’s board.
Scherer employees participate in Salvation Army service projects, including its Christmas Angel Tree program and its backpack program.
They are also active in the Sporting Clays Tournament benefiting the Boy Scouts of America, held each spring. Scherer employees are active as board members and volunteers with many other local organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County, and Rebuilding Together North Central Florida.
“We all have a responsibility to take care of our community by giving back and getting involved, whether it be volunteering time, mentoring, serving on a board or committee, making donations or sponsoring an event for a good cause,” Wilcox said.
“One of the reasons that Gainesville is such a great place to live and work is that so many people do get involved.”