Santa Ana : Kingdom Hall Church to Add Assembly Building

Kingdom Hall, a church on the northeast corner of Harvard Avenue and Fairview Street, will add a 2,700-square-foot assembly building to its existing facility after getting approval from the city Planning Commission.

The commission brushed aside warnings of worsening traffic and parking problems from several neighborhood residents Monday night and called instead for a review in six months to determine the extent of the problems.

One neighbor, Lucy Valencia, complained of noise at night and traffic jams all day on Sundays. Another resident told the commissioners that “if the church expands, traffic will be horrible.”

But David Harper, a Downey architect speaking for the proposal, said the church is growing and additional space is necessary. At present, four different congregations use the church, he said. The addition, with 150 seats, will double the size of the church.

The assembly building will be constructed on a one-third-acre site that now houses a dilapidated, vacant residence, a target for vandals for several years. Parking will be provided for 113 cars. In conjunction with the new construction, the old building will be renovated.