REO Town to be home of growing Riverview Church

When attendance at the Riverview Church began to be more than their facilities could handle, they had to make a decision. The church could either expand upon their original Holt location – already a sizable church at 40,000 square feet – or look for a new site to add a third site to their organization. 

 

"When we found nearly 1,500 families visited from Lansing in the past year," says Riverview Church Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen, "starting a location in that area became a very easy decision to make.

 

Between the demand and REO Town's proximity to bus lines, the highway and the River Trail, the 20,000 square foot former Cadillac Club location became the perfect choice for Riverview Church. 

 

Renovations to an adjacent gravel lot are already underway at the S. Washington site after the Lansing City Council approved the purchase of the location by the church. Heikkinen says he expects interior renovations to begin in the next month or two.  The club-side of the former Cadillace Club will be renovated into an auditorium space, and the banquet side will house Riverview Church's kid's ministry and community events. 

 

With such a rush of new members, Riverview Church still isn't ruling out expanding their Holt location, or other future locations either.

 

"We want to continue to love the city and the state," says Heikkinen. "Part of this means starting new churches and venues as we are able." 

 

The new church is expected to be operational by Easter of 2014. The location has already created one new job, and Heikkinen says additional positions will be added as needed.