Upper Arlington Lutheran Church
Location
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Owner
Upper Arlington Lutheran Church
Services
Construction Manager at Risk with drywall, concrete, restoration caulking and general trades
Type
Restoration and renovation with a 1,500 SF addition
Square Footage
50,000 SF
Miles-McClellan Transforms a Historic Church Through Careful Planning and Collaboration
Comprehensive Features Include:
- A new lobby addition and renovation
- HVAC upgrades
- Electrical and lighting upgrades
- Plumbing upgrades
- A complex technology package with IT, audio visual and theater equipment
- A new porte cochere
- A revamp of two parking lots
- A covered walkway
- A new playground
- New hardscapes and landscapes
- A new limited use/limited application elevator
The Plan
A longtime fixture in the Columbus community, Upper Arlington Church’s Lytham campus has served generations since its original construction in 1942 and renovation in 1970. After five decades of steady use — and with the church’s Mill Run campus recently refreshed — the Lytham site was ready for a thorough renovation. The goal was to renew and modernize the worship space while also reimagining the preschool area so it could better serve and delight the children and families of the community.
Chosen through a competitive qualifications and fee-based process, Miles-McClellan partnered with the church as Construction Manager at Risk for this $11.2 million project. In addition to overall project leadership, we brought in-house expertise from our drywall, concrete, restoration, caulking, and general trades teams to help deliver a seamless, high-quality renovation and addition.
The Process
From day one, we focused on a client-centered plan that kept worship safe and uninterrupted during the weekends while construction moved forward. Our full-time on-site team partnered closely with church leadership to map out an eight-month stretch of services in the fellowship hall. We isolated that area with temporary walls and doors, adjusted exit routes, and updated signage to meet code, so the congregation could gather comfortably while the rest of the campus underwent major renovation.
Inside the project, the design featured intricate finishes, calling for tight coordination and exceptional craftsmanship. Miles-McClellan was also directly responsible for sourcing all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) equipment directly — an added responsibility that did not only come early in the design to maintain the schedule, but one that also gave the church stronger quality assurance and budget control.
Honoring the building’s history mattered just as much as modernizing it. The original stain glass windows were carefully removed, restored, and reinstalled back into the renewed space. Working with Franklin Art Glass, each window was taken out, prepped and stored, cleaned, resealed, and then reinstalled in new locations throughout the church.
As with most older-building renovations, we encountered a few surprises along the way. Hidden conditions created issues that required our team’s expertise in risk management and efficient problem solving, for example, we discovered significant asbestos in the flooring. Addressing that safely required a thorough abatement effort to protect everyone who would use the space in the future. Our team also kept all areas quarantined off while working direcly outside the room while abatement was taking place.
Clear communication was the thread that held everything together. Establishing a single point of contact for the owners streamlined decisions and kept coordination smooth. The result is a project that reflects real collaboration, adaptability, and a shared commitment to serving the church community well.
The revitalized Lytham campus reopened in early September 2025, welcoming members back to a refreshed interior and enhanced exterior, complete with new walkways and a modern playground.
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