Unitarians’ Building Will Cost $123,000

Workmen began construction this week on a $123,000 building for the First Unitarian Church at Washtenaw Ave. and Berkshire Rd. Contractor on the project is the E. H. Wittman Co. of Wyandotte.

The new building will be joined to the one already in use at 1917 Washtenaw Ave. and provide a new auditorium and other facilities for the church. Entrance to the new auditorium will be from Berkshire Rd.

Almost the entire Berkshire Rd. side of the church will be of glass construction, a church spokesman said. The architecture is described as “naturalistic.”

Motif To Continue

Motif of overhanging wood beams and stone walls of the present church house will be carried over into the new building. Architect for the edifice is George Brigham of Ann Arbor.

Included in the new building, in addition to the auditorium, will be a kitchen, social hall, nursery and fellowship lounge. The church will be given over almost entirely to the church school.

The contract for the construction calls for completion by June 1, 1956.

In addition to the $98,000 cost for the building itself, plumbing and electrical work will cost an estimated $25,000. Equipment and furnishings for the building will cost another $10,000 to $15,000. Contracts for this work are still in the planning stages, a church spokesman said.

Sermon Topic Set

At the church tomorrow, the Rev. Edward H. Redman will preach on "Man's Concepts of God,” continuing a series on the fundamentals of the liberal faith.

Members of the Unitarian Adult Group will hear Prof. George Hourani of the University’s department of Near Eastern studies discuss the religion of Islam. The adult group will meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow and worship services are set for 11 a.m.

The Women’s Evening Alliance and the Men's Club of the church will meet jointly on Wednesday evening to hear Sgt. George Simmons, head of the Ann Arbor Police Department’s Youth Bureau, discuss the problem of juvenile offenses in the city.