As St. Peter Church looks to improve its facilities to accommodate the growing activities and needs of our parish faithful, I want to share with you a significant step we are taking to meet these goals.  HKW Architects has spent weeks consulting parishioners, ministry leaders and staff, and they have researched the City of Kirkwood’s master plan.  They have now developed a concept for expansion that benefits both entities.  Key to its success is the ability to grow our campus by incorporating part of West Jefferson Avenue.

Parish leadership and HKW Architects met with Kirkwood’s Planning and Development Services Director on October 2.  We presented to this office a request to cede to St. Peter Church West Jefferson Avenue from Clay Avenue westward to the parish property line (roughly the western point of the gym) in exchange for 24 feet of our property along Clay Avenue, from Adams Avenue to Argonne Drive.  The latter would provide to the City of Kirkwood area to create approximately 48 angled on-street parking spaces.  Ceding a segment of West Jefferson Avenue to St. Peter will provide greater security to foot traffic between the church and the school.  Moreover, it will allow us to build an addition that can give relief to the crowded condition of the existing school.

This master plan for the campus envisions a parish center and office complex linked to the church.  This facility would take the place of Ursuline Hall but retain the existing Adoration Chapel.  Demolition of the rectory will allow for more parking accessible to the front of the church.  A new residence for the parish priests would be built toward the northwest corner of the property.  All this is illustrated in the accompanying design plan provided by HKW.

The goals stated in the city’s Envision Kirkwood 2035 Master Plan will be aided by ceding a segment of Clay to the City of Kirkwood.  In particular, it will gain much-needed parking for commercial and civic activities in our growing downtown.

I invite you to study this master plan for St. Peter.  Poster images of the campus design can be found in the church gathering space, Ursuline Hall and the school.  You are welcome to send your questions or insights to St. Peter by using the digital feedback form found under the “Campus Master Plan” link on our website.  The City Council will take up our proposal for discussion and vote at a later date.  If you are enthusiastic about this direction we are pursuing, please take the time to let the City of Kirkwood know by adding your name to a Petition of Support.  It will be available at church following the weekend Masses.  

This is an exciting time for the St. Peter community!