A church that has been a landmark in Mesa since 1962 blessed with an extensive remodel. A vacant office supply store transformed into a healthy exercise space. Two self-storage facilities that show off imaginative and sophisticated design. On Point Architecture, a woman-owned small-business firm, has recently been flexing its design muscle with a diversity of projects across Arizona. They include:

• The $2.6 million revitalization of iconic Trinity Church in Mesa;

• The transformation of a “lifeless big box” into the Alta Boulders rock-climbing gym in Chandler;

• Full architectural design including site and buildings at San Tan Self Storage in San Tan Valley;

• Currently in design, Success RV & Boat storage facility in Vail, Arizona.

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“I am a firm believer that when a client requires architectural services, attitude matters,” said On Point President/Architect Nicole Posten-Thompson, RA. “The diversity of these recent projects is a testament the firm’s design acumen – from designing a self-storage asset that is in harmony with its site to a church that brings dreams to life and inspires its parishioners.”

Trinity Church Phase 1 Revitalization

Construction work is under way at Trinity Church, 2130 E. University Drive, Mesa. The renovation includes central courtyard upgrades with a new shade structure and playground equipment, four new classrooms, a new central kids check in area, and new landscaping throughout the entire site. The church has recently rebranded to One Life Church, and new signage will be added to a modernized and bright campus.

Trinity Church has been a central landmark since 1962. Posten-Thompson has been involved in just about every upgrade and remodel since 2004. For this campus revitalization, On Point developed a much-needed color palette to breathe life into the dated facility. The campus is currently a “mash-up of colors, a result of 59 years of upgrades and remodels,” Posten-Thompson said.

“We created new renderings so everyone can visualize how the new colors and an updated courtyard could provide a more pleasing, cohesive, and inviting campus to its current and potential congregation,” she said.

The general contractor is Concord General Contracting, another woman-run company.

Alta Boulders

On Point designed the interior space and provided construction documents for the renovation of a vacant Office Max at 2945 S. Alma School Road, Chandler. The new climbing gym totals 20,760 SF.

On Point’s mission was to revive an “exhausted space.” The facility features a yoga studio, exercise room, smoothie bar, spin aerobics tiered classroom, locker rooms with showers, and a large area for rock climbing.

“We worked with a boulder wall designer in Bulgaria,” Posten-Thompson said. “While they designed the walls, we needed to coordinate the structural support of the walls with our structural engineer. We also provided complete architectural design guidance including floor plan, material section, permitting, and coordination for local county and city approvals.

“Our biggest challenges were incorporating large bouldering rock walls into the existing space and locating three exercise rooms around the space for efficiency and best use of space. This one got our heart rate revved up,” she said.

The general contractor is Horizons Commercial Contracting.

San Tan Self Storage

This new 117,229 SF, 924-unit self-storage facility at 34487 N. Gary Road, San Tan Valley, could have been “ho-hum and casual,” Posten-Thompson said.

“Pinal County required the building to look ‘more like an office building’ from the street frontage,” she added. “The site fronts two roads and both needed to present a well-designed building.”

On Point knew just what to do. It combined a horizontal tile-like pattern on the façade, an enlarged parapet cornice, and modern steel paneling to create a cohesive and modern streetscape. An enlarged roof overhang announces the lobby entrance, and oversized windows provide comfortable natural lighting in the office area.

Additionally, On Point created large drop-off areas at each end of the climate-controlled buildings and easy access for three drive-up storage buildings.

The general contractor is TLW Construction.

Success RV & Boat Storage

On Point’s design acumen will be on display in Southern Arizona when this self-storage and RV and boat storage in Vail is complete in late 2023. The asset will comprise a 900 SF office building, a 60,000 GSF self-storage building, and 200,000 GSF of covered RV and boat storage space.

On Point provided site design for the 15-acre facility, building elevation design with color selection, and design review with the Vail Preservation Society.

“This project needed a special appearance, which presented interesting challenges because it needed to be cohesive with the Shrine of Santa Rita in the Desert on the National Register of Historic as its neighbor,” Posten-Thompson said. “We tinkered with a Mission Revival architectural style and have probably designed the finest-looking self-storage facility in the Southwest.”

The general contractor is TLW Construction.