The St. Joseph Catholic Church was founded in August of 1969 and began by holding masses for about 300 families in the cafeteria of Paradise Valley High School. By October of 1972 the church had a new home in a multi-purpose building containing a parish hall, meeting rooms and library at its current location, which expanded to include a new classroom building and Adoration Chapel later on. However, the church continued holding mass in their multi-purpose building for up to 500 people. And despite their desire to build a new sanctuary space over their 50 years, the church never realized their dream.
When the fire erupted in the multi-purpose building on that April night, the fire consumed what had been intended as their ‘temporary’ home. And so, while the fire was a tragedy, the parish has turned it into a blessing in disguise. Adaptive Architects has been working with the congregation, who is now optimistic about the future and are looking forward to worshiping in their new space. Parish members desired a facility with a different approach than their original building, and so the new design is based on a “basilica” style that represents traditional form, space and order rooted in Catholicism.
