Another sign of Springville growth
There’s yet another sign of ‘good growth’ in Springville these days. The Depot, a facility now under construction in Springville, gives new meaning to the term multi-use. The first two phases of the 60,000-square-foot project on 20.43 acres on U.S. 11 will open next fall. The complex is planning space for just about everything — from physical fitness and education to arts and worship.
Mike Ennis, pastor at Faith Community Fellowship Springville Campus, says the project has been under way for the past four years. “It started with the opening of our church campus here in Springville and realizing the community was very centered around athletics. It was birthed out of some of the challenges facing Alabama.”
Because Alabama ranks low nationally in economics and health, “We felt like rather than building a church, we’d rather build a community center. Something the entire community could use. Something that would hopefully improve both the economics and health of our community and provide athletic opportunities.
Explaining that the center is “not just for young people and not just people who are a part of our church, we really wanted to build something that would serve the community at large. That’s been the driving factor behind it from the beginning.”
The Depot includes a community café and catering kitchen, multipurpose areas, conference rooms, coworking spaces, a teen center and independent living.
The center also includes an auditorium which the church will use, Ennis says, but his church won’t own the building. It will be a tenant. “We realized to make a decent impact and provide the most opportunity, we needed to hand it off to a property management group,” he said.
Surgance, Inc., 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, is overseeing and managing the project.
Ennis, who served on Springville’s strategic planning committee, said the committee decided Springville needed a facility like this one, which will include two auditoriums, banquet and meeting rooms, school grades K-8 and a preschool called Esteem Academy. Surgance is also partnering with the St. Clair County Board of Education, providing space for its virtual academy.
Representatives of regional, state and national organizations have been involved with the childcare and education committees to help with planning. It will include early childhood education, virtual school, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Academy.
“There’s really nothing like it on this end of the county,” said Ennis. “We’re hoping to reach out to Springville and beyond. We’ve had a super positive response from everybody we talk to. I think there’s a real need for something like this.”
Phase I of the project is a 10,000-square-foot building, which is expected to be completed by June 2022.
Story by Linda Long, Discover St. Clair Magazine
Submitted photo
