Say it Ain?t So, St. Joseph Moving

St. Joseph Catholic Church is moving after being located at 321 E. Lafayette St. in Fayetteville since 1934. But the church’s planned $8 million construction project in the 4000 block of Starr Drive is really a back-to-the-future move.

The parish’s original church building was built in 1872 on the same Starr Drive site that’s being repurchased. The original cost of the land and building, located near the site of the city’s Catholic cemetery, was about $2,600.

The new church will be 40,000 SF in size and sit on an 18.5-acre parcel about one-half mile south of the intersection of Starr Drive and Arkansas Highway 45. It will eventually include a 1,000-seat, $4.5 million sanctuary. But the first phase of construction will include a $3.5 million chapel and educational facilities.

Bishop-elect J. Peter Sartain, is providing the financing for the project through The Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock.

Hight-Jackson & Associates P.A. of Bentonville is the architect but bids are still being let for a general contractor. The church hopes for a late spring to early summer ground breaking.

In June, the church plans to place its existing sanctuary, offices and elementary school at 321 E. Lafayette St. up for sale.