St. Bernard's navigates $10.5 million project to expand church, school facilities in Thief River Falls

Apr. 3—THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. — Leaders of St. Bernard's Catholic Church and School in Thief River Falls are in the midst of a $10.5 million building project that, when complete, will more than double the floor space in the current facility.

The multi-year project is expected to include space for a new large entry, a gathering space, a gymnasium/multipurpose room, new offices and three new classrooms, said Dave Odette, building committee chairman.

Planning for the multi-year project has been going on for nearly five years, he said. About $3.5 million has been raised for the project, which has been divided into three phases.

The construction project will affect all but the west side of the building complex, which houses the church and school at 105 Knight Ave. N. The parish property occupies a single square block, Odette said.

"We are landlocked," he said.

Escalating costs of supplies and other expenses over the past year or so have increased the expected investment in the project from an initial estimate of $6 million to $10.5 million.

The pandemic also has presented a host of problems, as it has for many other organizations, Odette said. "COVID has been a real hit for us," he said.

Ground was broken in September and initial work has been progressing.

The first phase will include new north and south entrances to the church, an adoration chapel, a new elevator system and a second-floor bathroom.

The new north entrance will be entirely on the ground level, making it much easier for the elderly to enter the church, since there will be no steps to navigate, Odette said. It will also comply with federal ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.

The adoration chapel, with seating for 35 people, will accommodate smaller groups of worshipers, as well as provide a more intimate setting for funerals, weddings and meetings, Odette said.

The chapel will offer 24/7 accessibility for parishioners, as well as a site for daily mass.

The new design will allow access for parishioners and others who wish to worship at the church, while keeping all entrances to the school safe and secure.

A second phase will affect the east and south parts of the facility, where office areas will be consolidated. Currently, in this part of the facility, "space is at a premium," Odette said.

In the third phase of the project, a gymnasium/multipurpose room — including a kitchen — is planned. The area can be used as a fellowship hall to serve up to 390 people, Odette said.

"That's the one I'm most excited about," said Kari Rath, third-grade teacher at St. Bernard's School. "Our school has never had a gym. The students walk across the street to use the old City Auditorium."

It's been speculated that the auditorium may be torn down, due to safety concerns, Rath said.

At St. Bernards', the new gym, which will be located where the current parish offices and rectory are, will also function as a cafeteria-style space for the church's fish fry events, Rath said. During the Lenten season, the church usually serves about 1,000 people in a three-hour time span, Rath said. "It's absolutely incredible."

"So the gym would be used to seat all those people for the fish fries — and funerals, as well," she said.

This phase will also provide three new classrooms for the school's early childhood program, with a daycare for 3-year-olds and those in pre-school and pre-K levels. The early childhood program will have its own dedicated entrance.

Also, when the project is completed, the statue of St. Bernard, which now stands outside, will be inside.

This is not the first building project St. Bernard's has undertaken. In 1949, the church and school were built.

In the last major project, in 1989, a sacristy and a new sanctuary were added, Odette said. (The sacristy is a room where the priest prepares for services and his vestments and where other items used in work are stored.)

The former sanctuary is now the gathering space, he said.

St. Bernard's leaders had initially targeted September 2023 for project completion but, given the effects of inflation, pandemic disruptions and financial limitations, they have set new target dates, Odette said.

The plan is now for the first phase of the project to be completed by Jan. 1, he said, and then — if finances come through — about two more years will be needed to complete the second and third phases.