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St. Mark Church Planning New Worship Center

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By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2008

NEW TAMPA - Eight years after moving into its Cross Creek Boulevard campus, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church will launch the fundraising campaign for a new church building.

The congregation, which has 3,200 families, holds services in its multipurpose Family Life Center, which also houses the education facilities and offices. The church recently received a zoning variance from Hillsborough County for the height of the new building, which will face the piazza directly across from the existing building.

The Rev. David DeJulio, pastor of the church, said the capital campaign likely will start after the first of the year. "We need to raise $8 [million] to $10 million for the new building, and we have to have 75 percent of the cash in the bank before we can break ground."

The new worship center will be 36,000 square feet and will have a main sanctuary that seats about 1,300 people. At its highest point, the pointed roof will reach 49.5 feet.

"We have the floor plan finished, and we're working on the elevations. We have a committee that's been meeting for about a year," DeJulio said. "The design is based on the whole essence of a journey into a sacred place."

From the piazza, worshippers will enter a large narthex, or gathering room, with soaring ceilings and "lots of natural light." They will travel through a hallway before entering the main, fan-shaped sanctuary.

"All along the walls, there will be biblical stories and artwork to get people in the mind-set of entering a place of worship," DeJulio said.

The building also will have a bride's room, a room suitable for wakes and several confessionals. DeJulio said the style will be a combination of traditional and Florida architecture.

"I really love stained glass," he said. "We want to have the finest sculptures. They will be commissioned from local or even national artists: nothing off the rack."

The committee also has asked its architect to make the building "as green as possible."

"We're going to use a lot of natural light," DeJulio said. "We'll have green parking – no more blacktop."

The grounds will include a Bible garden for children, a labyrinth with plenty of corners for quiet reflection and a rosary walk.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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