Little Chute church, school project moves forward with help of local construction firm

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The St. John Nepomucene Catholic Community in Little Chute on Monday will start final design and construction of a new Parish Center addition with construction partner Appleton-based Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc.

The project calls for building a new 21,400-square-foot clergy and financial staff space while tearing down the current office complex, which was built in 1959. Project officials added the reconstruction will give added space for faith development and rentable space for gatherings.

Construction kicks off after feasibility assessments made in 2022, officials said.

“After an assessment of the existing building revealed that it wouldn’t make financial sense for the Parish to remodel, they chose instead to move forward with the development of a new space. The new Parish Center will connect to the existing building on two levels and will serve as the main mechanical hub for the adjacent, existing buildings, including the church,” added Kurt Peeters, Hoffman project lead. Peeters is a parish member as well as the senior project architect.

The facility dates to 1836 and designs include floor to ceiling windows with wood, glass, brick and stone finishes to compliment the faith community’s history, according to project officials. The current church building was built between 1860 and 1868, officials added.

Father Ron Belitz, a pastor at St. John, said he and the parish staff were honored to be part of a project to move the church into its third century.

“Hoffman is proud to be collaborating with St. John Nepomucene on this important project for the parish and we’re eager to start development of this new space,” Peeters added. “And as a long-standing parish member, I’m honored to serve St. John’s in this capacity and am excited for what’s to come for the parish community.”