CRESTVIEW — Niceville United Methodist Church leaders want to bring a second campus to Crestview.
Adding a North Ferdon Boulevard location would allow the church to boost outreach efforts and better accommodate church members living in North Okaloosa, they said.
Niceville UMC has an agreement with NBI Properties, which manages Northview Plaza,to facilitate in building a church on the plaza's south end, Executive Pastor Greg McKinnon said.
Among the 16,500-square-footage, the church would occupy the former units of Movies & More, Terri's Sports and Angel's Doggie Spa. The church will have additional space to the left of Pizza Hut, which is staying.
The church has not signed a lease agreement with NBI as of this writing, McKinnon said.
An NBI representative said other plaza tenants chose not to renew their lease agreements or already planned to relocate.
A five-year lease with renewable options would go into effect after remaining tenants have vacated, McKinnon said, adding that he expects an early 2015 opening after six months of renovations.
Growth of the St. Mark UMC campus on PJ Adams Parkway spurred church leaders' decision to add a third campus, he said. On average, the church has 600 in attendance on Sundays, he said.
The PJ Adams location is receiving a $1.25 million renovation to add more sanctuary seating, parking, classrooms and a children's playground.
"North Crestview is booming; we have a lot of members who already live in that area," McKinnon said.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: UMC leaders eye second Crestview location