Right behind Millwood Community Presbyterian Church, construction workers have been busy building the church’s new multipurpose building.

“We really envision it as a community resource,” said the Rev. Craig Goodwin.

The 7,000 square-foot building will contain two classrooms, a large recreational gathering area, a commercial kitchen and two bathrooms. The gathering space will hold about 250 people.

The church will use the building for youth and children’s activities and after-school programs.

He estimates the building will be completed sometime in mid-August. The church is planning grand opening celebrations for September.

Now that construction is well underway, Goodwin said they are receiving a lot of requests to use the building.

“We’re excited for that phase,” he said of working with community members.

The project is expected to cost $1.5 million. Church members contributed to the building, and the congregation received two $60,000 grants – one from the Inland Northwest Community Foundation and one from the Harriet Cheney Cowles Foundation, a charitable branch of Cowles Co. which owns The Spokesman-Review. Goodwin said there is still some debt remaining on the project.

Goodwin said the church is now pursuing partners and grants to get the appliances for the kitchen, with the hopes of someday turning it into a classroom space for nutritional education.

The city vacated a portion of the alleyway between Dalton and Euclid avenues in 2012 to allow the church to expand.

The architects of the building are Blue Room Architecture and Design. The general contractor is REA Commercial.

“(It will be a) quality building that will be around for a long time,” Goodwin said.