Our Lady expansion soars around eagle's nest

A bird of prey will slow down construction as Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church expands this spring.

Diocese of Venice Bishop Frank Dewane said construction crews can’t work within 100 feet of a bald eagle’s nest at any time, and during nesting season, from October through May, crews must stay more than 330 feet from the nest. The guidelines have been established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services.

Our Lady of the Angels, which is located west of White Eagle Boulevard and north of State Road 70, is one of two area churches — Peace Presbyterian is the other — beginning construction on new sanctuaries in the spring. Most of the new construction on the northern portion of Our Lady of the Angels’ campus is outside of the 330-foot radius, but some work will need to be completed within the area and, therefore, is subject to the guidelines.

“We’re very respectful of the environment and we’re working with officials about the nest,” Dewane said.

Dewane said construction should take about a year once ground is broken.

The Manatee County Commission on Jan. 5 approved Our Lady of the Angel’s request to add 36,000 square feet to its existing 17,000-square-foot facilities. The new church will be about 20,000 square feet, but approvals provide for future expansions, including a rectory, a religious education building and more.

Cost is estimated at $7 million for the current expansion, and Our Lady members already have pledged more than $4 million for the project.

“All the parishioners are very excited about it,” said member Joyce Pascuzzi, who serves on Our Lady’s finance committee.

Pascuzzi said the current facility is overcrowded and doesn’t have kneelers, which people miss.

“We’re overflowing,” Pascuzzi said. “We need more room.”

The existing multipurpose building, which seats about 550 at capacity, will be used for dinners, meetings and other church needs. Portable buildings on campus will remain, as well.

Dewane said the new church will be larger than needed, with 1,000 seats, to accommodate the seasonal doubling of mass services and to handle future growth. It also will have a day chapel that seats about 130 people within the structure to handle more intimate worship services, funerals, weddings or other smaller events.

Peace Presbyterian, which has a 24-acre campus at 12705 State Road 64 E., is seeking county approval for its expansion. The Rev. Elizabeth Deibert said they hope to break ground this spring and complete construction by early in 2018. The new sanctuary, which will be 7,100 square feet, will seat 360 people in movable chairs, so the space is flexible for worship, concerts or other community events.

Peace launched a $1 million campaign for the new sanctuary in spring 2016. The total project cost is estimated at $2.4 million.

The church has about 300 participants. Deibert said services are overflowing, often with visitors watching the service on video in a room outside the sanctuary.

“We are squashing them in like sardines,” Deibert said. “It’s uncomfortable.”