Article from August 1998

As featured in August 1998

Building the Kingdom of God

Upstate New York Developers Transform Visions Into Reality

By Marsha Jones

Transforming a vision into reality can be very challenging, especially when it requires moving into unfamiliar surroundings. This reality was faced by The House of God congregation in Rochester, New York, when they considered relocating their church from a corner in the city to a rural, undeveloped site many miles away.

D&L Associates was selected as the project manager and general contractor for the anticipated move and construction of the new church in Rush, New York. David and Lilly Haygood, both ordained deacons and members of the congregation, are owners of this minority contracting and consulting firm. The assignment provided just the right opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of their company in a highly competitive business climate.

Everything about the vision for the church seemed to carry special insight. The land in Rush was discovered when the pastor, Bishop Charles E. Campbell and his wife, Naomi, were seeking a new location for their home. Ironically, the church leaders were also contemplating a relocation to a larger site, because the corner lot at 654 Goodman Street in Rochester had no room for expansion. However, they had no idea the future site would be outside the city limits.

"Ideally, a church should be located near the community of people it serves," says Bishop Campbell. "What made this vision become a reality was the combination of four elderly relatives in Rush who were willing to sell their land and members of the congregation who possessed the expertise to oversee the construction of a new church facility. It was all part of the Lord's work. How could we refuse?"

There was business to tend to before the church construction could begin. A proposal was submitted to The House of God headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, a Pentecostal denomination that has churches in 28 states as well as Jamaica, Haiti and Canada. The National Office and Council reviews proposals for renovations and purchase of property for all congregations in the various dioceses. David Haygood knew the process because he also serves as the National Construction Agent for the denomination. His responsibility is to inspect and report on all construction and renovation projects prior to the approval of loans and grants.

After meeting all requirements, the national headquarters provided an interest free loan to Bishop Campbell and his congregation. Coupled with funds from the New York State Diocese of The House of God, the local church's building fund, and private donations, the facility was erected.

More than 3,000 people attended the dedication ceremonies this March, to celebrate the move to 55 acres of land on Phelps Road in Rush. The Senior Bishop and Chief Overseer, Dr. James C. Elliott and his wife Barbara, as well as other members of The House of God across the nation attended the weekend events, which included a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony, unveiling of the cornerstone, luncheon and musical concert. They were joined by elected officials, pastors and congregations from the Town of Rush and City of Rochester. Local town residents and business owners, as well as the building contractors also supported the activities.

The 18,000-square-foot church sits on 10 acres of the land. Now this church and property valued at over $3 million is the house of worship for approximately 120 adults and children.

The church's "T"-shaped structure is impressive. The sign at the sloping entranceway is inviting. It offers a view of one of three sets of double oak doors that invite you to come inside, visit and stay. Interesting angles of the multilevel roof greet the eye at every turn along a black-top driveway that encircles the church.

The interior of the sanctuary accommodates over 700 people and fills the oblong center structure of the "T." The woodwork is striking and comforting at the same time. Interlocking oak panels in the vaulted ceiling flow into arched laminated beams of varying heights. The warm tones of the woodwork gently contrast against the deep purple tones in the carpeting and cushions for the pews.

The baptismal wing looms out near the side entrance of the parking lot. It also contains a nursery, Sunday School classrooms and conference rooms, the main utility room and a nurse's station. The baptismal hall is flanked with its own stained glass window and cascading waterfall that flows into the heated pool, over a beautiful marbled tile pattern. A large banquet-size fellowship hall with a commercial-grade kitchen is in the opposite wing of the building.

Administrative offices, a library, lounges and general reception area are located near the center entrance. The pastor's office and a crying room in the sanctuary are soundproof. Lamp poles at the back of the parking lot provide electrical hook-ups for motor homes. And that's not everything.

The church is also wired for the future, with outlets in every room for multiple computer stations as well as television monitors so the worship service can be viewed everywhere. Safety factors include security and fire extinguishing systems, as well as automatic shutdown areas in case of an emergency.

Deacon David Haygood, who chairs the deacon board, and his wife, Deaconess Lilly Haygood can now join with others to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They admit that the church's relocation and building plan was met with some initial skepticism, especially when it all evolved around a "vision" for the future. "Some members were concerned about moving out of the city," says Lilly. "However, when they saw the finished product, it won them over and the vision began to materialize into something more tangible."

D&L Associates brought over 30 years of an extensive construction background to the development of this project. The Haygoods started Hammer Enterprise in the 1960s, and participated in many general contracts and performed lots of work roughing houses. They even provided uniforms for their work crews. Hammer Enterprise was dissolved in 1970 when David joined Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) as general foreman.

He supervised all skilled trades employees and was responsible for construction projects ranging in cost from $100,000 to $13 million. Among the construction projects he has monitored for RG&E, David speaks proudly of several projects at the Ginna Nuclear Plant site. He provided an initial sketch for the Steam Generator Platform that was used in the final design by the RG&E engineers. He also was responsible for the Simulator Building, a training facility for nuclear operators that replicated the control room of the Ginna Nuclear Plant.

David had responsibility for other RG&E projects such as the building of substations which housed electrical transformers, and unusual jobs like the construction of stairs down a steep incline near the Driving Park Bridge.

As National Construction Agent for the House of God Church, David travels extensively, monitoring projects throughout the diocese. Current church projects are being considered in Detroit, Nashville and Brooklyn; Aloy, Arizona; and Jamaica, West Indies. He is constantly involved in ongoing projects at the national church complex of 24 buildings located on 36 acres in Nashville.

On the other hand, Lilly relates the irony of being a former Affirmative Action and Minority Business Enterprise Officer for the City of Rochester. She was responsible for overseeing and assisting in the development of the MBE program activities. Now she experiences similar struggles as a minority entrepreneur.

As MBE officer, Lilly ensured participation of minority businesses in contracting opportunities in various city contracts. Along with other city staff, she assisted in the certification of minority businesses and monitored the performance of contractors working on construction projects. The city's program was later expanded to include participation of vendors of goods and services and women-owned businesses. Projects she was involved with included the city's $25 million-dollar Main Street Reconstruction Project, expansion of the Rochester Public Market, and monitoring for handicapped accessibility during construction of the Hyatt Hotel.

The husband and wife team formed D&L Associates after David opted for early retirement from RG&E in 1994. Then Lilly retired from city government employment in 1996 to devote full time to the business.

In an attempt to keep the cost of construction at a minimum, the church chose D&L Associates to be the project manager and general contractor for this new undertaking. David's work history in managing projects in his own business as well as for RG&E made it possible for his company to secure the necessary bonding and insurance, which is usually a stumbling block for minority-owned businesses. The rest is now history.

The Haygoods say their desire to please the congregation and involve them in the project provided the motivation needed to endure any hardships associated with the project. "On many occasions, the congregation gathered together and discussed what they envisioned for the new church. They wanted to expand the sanctuary, provide a good sound system and make the facility handicapped accessible for members who were growing older," David shares.

"The church was built larger than our current needs because we wanted to accommodate a growing membership," he adds. "Our pastor, who is also our New York State Bishop, wanted a structure large enough to host state meetings, as well as accommodate various ministries such as outreach, missionary and education."

Once the vision was set, David and Lilly embarked upon the long process of securing necessary approvals and documents for construction of the church. They submitted plans and the mechanical, plumbing and electrical drawings to the Town of Rush Planning Board. They began the arduous task of hiring subcontractors for the project. Assisted by engineers from the architectural firm, they began to solicit bids. Keeping the goal of lowered project costs in mind, they sought at least three bids for every contract. The project utilized the services of over 32 subcontractors and 30 vendors and suppliers, both local and out-of-state.

"It was very important for us to include minority businesses during this process," explains David. "We felt that minority-owned businesses were too often excluded from performing major work on construction projects. We awarded major contracts to minority firms for the roofing, painting, church furniture, pews, carpeting and photography."

Despite the best laid plans and intentions, the Haygoods admit they were confronted with and overcame some setbacks. "We had several delays in construction," chime the Haygoods, trying to shake off one of the memories like a bad dream. "For example, we experienced a major heating problem," explains David. "Originally the heating ducts were designed to be installed underground, but when installed, the ducts would not support the weight listed by the supplier. After redesigning the heating system and securing town approval, we began to move forward again."

Many excellent relationships came out of the project. "Once we got started, Town Supervisor Terry Schmitt and other town officials and board members were very supportive and helped to move the project along," David says.

Among the positive outcomes of this project were the new relationships established with minority businesses and other contractors who worked well together. "Many times when we thought we would not meet deadlines, the contractors stepped in to assist each other and donated time and materials to see that the work schedule stayed on target," he adds.

"This new structure was also intended to serve as a legacy for the next generation-our children and grandchildren," says Lilly. "We were building for the future. We felt strongly that by investing now and also factoring in technology for future planning and expansion, our descendants would have a good foundation to build upon. This philosophy and mission was instilled in us by our parents. David's parents, Monticello and Izella Haygood, were founders of the church and have many descendants in the congregation, including his brothers and sisters and their families!"

Bishop Campbell, who has been pastor of the church since 1963, is extremely happy with the final product. "I had no idea our building was going to look like this," he says. "I have done quite a bit of traveling across the country and have seen many structures, but none like this. During the construction process, I always wondered what our church would finally look like. Once the foundation was poured, time moved very quickly. The building seemed to come out of the ground right to the surface."

Versie Robinson, a church member for 45 years and wife of the assistant pastor, Elder Luther Robinson, couldn't believe her eyes during the dedication ceremony. "I kept asking, 'Is this a dream or what?' It happened a lot faster than I thought, and was more than I had expected. I knew God would take us through this journey and we would be successful," she recalls.

"Since the church paid off its mortgage at North Goodman Street in seven and a half years, we felt a move like this could happen," Robinson adds. "This is a beautiful facility. This is an excellent investment. I have to commute farther, but we trusted the church leadership and supported their decision to move 100 percent."

Lilly agrees. "We survived the criticism that we were abandoning the city when we chose to build out here because there was no expansion room on the corner where we were. If you have a modern facility, the congregation and others will follow you and help extend the church's outreach. If you are going to develop a new facility, why not plan and invest for the future. It's worth it to have a facility based on current and future needs."

"I had visualized the outcome of this building the whole time," says David, "but there were many times when I questioned myself. This construction was different from other projects I had supervised, and in the end, we saved the church hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is an excellent investment and our potential for growth is incredible."

A beautiful new church. A happy congregation. Opportunities for growth and new ways to fulfill its mission. There's only one thing left to say: "Amen."

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