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A Southeast Portland parish has plans to build a 650-seat church, offices and additional parking as well as completely renovate an existing building.

Owners of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church have applied to the Bureau of Development Services for a pre-application conference. They want to discuss design plans for changes to their approximately 4.8-acre parcel. The conference is scheduled for Thursday.

Stephanie Fitzhugh, a project manager with DiLoreto Architecture, the firm designing the project, said the initial phase of construction would include demolition of an existing residence currently used as offices.

鈥淭he old office building will be demolished and the new church will sit basically on that site,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ew offices would be built as funding allows.鈥�

Phase one calls for site preparation 鈥� creation of a central plaza, construction of surface parking for 215 cars and expansion of pavement 鈥� as well as construction of the new church and a bell tower in the plaza.

Long-term plans include renovation of the existing church building into a social hall, the addition of a kitchen area and construction of a new office building, Fitzhugh said.

鈥淭he rest of the construction will happen as funding allows,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e’re early enough in the design that the owners haven’t determined a construction schedule.鈥�