First Presbyterian Church
Severely damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018, First Presbyterian Church of Panama City is now restored and reimagined through a seven-year effort that carried the project from design through completion in 2026. Architecture BP provided master planning across the church's three-parcel, four-building campus before delivering full structural, MEP, fire protection, acoustics, and interior architecture services for a 32,000 square foot two-story renovation and addition at 100 East 7th Street.
The redesign reorganized the facility's entire circulation and program flow, resolving adjacencies that had accumulated over decades of piecemeal growth and replacing them with a coherent campus logic. An elevator was added to bring the facility into full ADA compliance, ensuring the restored church is accessible to the entire congregation. Interior design was provided by Lori Bates Interiors, with structural engineering by APEX Engineering, MEP by GEG Engineers, and general contracting by JNB Contracting, LLC.
The $7.7 million project was supported by $5 million in FEMA grants — a reflection of both the severity of the hurricane damage and the significance of the building to its community. The result is a historic Panama City institution that honors its past while being fully equipped to serve its congregation for generations to come.
