The Collage Companies

A 2020 Pew Research Institute survey on the impact of the pandemic on religious life, reports that nearly half of regular worshipers had replaced in-person attendance with virtual services. But that the majority of those questioned are ready to get back to church, feeling “at least somewhat confident” that they could safely attend religious services at their congregation without contracting the coronavirus. The Collage Companies (Collage) has been constructing churches, schools and ministry buildings for worship and outreach for over 35 years, providing design/build, construction management and general contracting services for some of the most iconic churches in Central and Northern Florida.

Gary Vargas, Project Executive Collage says of the impact the pandemic on church building:  “Worship and philanthropy are relational endeavors and that while virtual experiences work for some industries, churches and nonprofits rely in large part on personal connection” “I refer to the pandemic as a divine disruption.  It has motivated the church community to consider how they can be more relevant in the communities in which they function.  There is opportunity to serve the community seven days a week instead of just one with childcare, coffee shops, business centers, sports fields and even work out gyms.  Collage has not seen a decline in church building in 2020 – we are working on many exciting projects.”

Collage is part of Building God’s Way national builder’s network. BGW provides resources and services for churches, nonprofits, and ministry organizations with expertise in organizational growth, fund raising, financing, design, construction, and equipment supply.

Collage has constructed over 165 church related projects, and in January of 2020 completed a $2.5M renovation for Northwest Tampa Church of Christ located at (7259 Sheldon Road).  This project involved the construction of a new 7,848 sq. ft.  Multi-Purpose Addition for the church, a 600 sq. ft.  expansion of their lobby, a 1,285 sq. ft. expansion of their corridor and restrooms, and the renovation of 4,266 sq. ft. of their existing offices, lobby, and restrooms.

In June of 2020 Collage broke ground on the $9M Gateway Church of Christ in Pensacola, Florida. This 45,200 sq. ft. facility consists of a new worship center, classrooms, meeting rooms, administrative offices, and a new gymnasium.  The Church specifically wants to utilize the facility to serve the community.  Gateway Church of Christ is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2021.

In July of 2020 Collage completed Creekside Christian Church a $ 7.6 M and 32,000 sq. ft. project located in St. Johns, Florida.  This campus improvement project consisted of a new worship center, café, child education area, and a maintenance facility. The previous worship area was converted to a youth center and serves the community on a regular basis.

In October of 2020 Collage completed Salty Church a $3.8 M and 11,600 sq. ft. project located in Ormond Beach, Florida. The project consisted of a new worship center, café and a unique 2,300 sq. ft.  covered patio that connected the old sanctuary space to the new worship center.  The Church continues to grow and is active with other campus branches.

The Collage Companies is an integrated services firm with expertise in Design Build, Construction Management, and General Contracting.   Since 1982, Collage has served clients throughout the nation from their headquarters in Lake Mary, Florida.  Delivering on their mission to build projects that strengthen the foundation and fabric of the communities in which they live and work, the firm pursues community-centric projects with an emphasis on the hospitality, religious, transportation, and park sectors.  Collage has earned many awards, most recently being recognized as a  GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch and as one of Central Florida’s Top Workplaces.