PROJECT: JONES MEMORIAL “THE HIGHER WAY” CHURCH
CLIENT: JONES MEMORIAL “THE HIGHER WAY” CHURCH
LOCATION: HOUSTON, TEXAS
ARCHITECT: ZIEGLER COOPER ARCHITECTS
What began as a construction site tour became the foundation of a decade-long partnership. Leadership from Jones Memorial visited Paradigm’s completed work at a sister Methodist congregation, and the connection formed that day set a lasting collaboration in motion.
The original vision called for an entirely new worship facility alongside the existing structure; a plan that was well underway before the COVID-19 pandemic brought everything to a halt. When the church reconnected a couple of years later, the vision had shifted. Rather than building new, the congregation wanted to transform what they already had: a multipurpose facility with drop-down basketball goals and a cramped lobby that needed to become something that felt unmistakably like a church.
Expansion could only go one direction, requiring relocation of the existing septic system and primary electrical service. Careful navigation of code requirements also avoided the need for additional parking or detention, solving what could have been a costly constraint.
The result was a 5,600-square-foot addition seamlessly integrated onto the existing sanctuary, bringing seating to 710. The lobby was opened up to create a welcoming arrival experience, with classrooms reclaimed in the new addition to offset what was lost. A stage expanded by roughly 50 percent gave the congregation’s beloved music program the dedicated space it had always deserved.
At the first service back, the space delivered on everything the congregation had envisioned and the trust built through years of honest partnership has since generated new opportunities through direct referral.
