Elevation Church seeks rezoning for massive Ballantyne location

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CHARLOTTE – Elevation Church, the Charlotte-based mega church, has filed a rezoning application with the city, looking at add a leviathan location in Ballantyne.

The rezoning request, filed on Feb. 25, asks the city to rezone roughly 21 acres on the west side of Lancaster Highway, at the intersection of the highway and Johnston Road. According to the request, Elevation’s plans are to add a 264,000-square-foot building, which would include a 42,000-square-foot sanctuary with seating for 1,600. The church is also looking to add a 22,000-square-foot children’s center and up to 200,000 of office space.

Josh Blackson, director of administration and expansion with Elevation, said the need for space stems from a lack of parishioner seats in the church’s Blakeney and Matthews locations.

Elevation has seven active campuses throughout the Charlotte area and one in Toronto that will open on Easter, Blackson said.

Despite seeking a rezoning for such a large construction project, Blackson said the church hasn’t felt any pushback and said he expects Ballantyne residents will welcome the development.

“The land over there is currently zoned for a large number of apartments,” he said. “In my experience, anytime you can avoid apartments, the residents are happy.”

The public hearing for the rezoning request is scheduled for 6 p.m. on May 20 in the meeting chamber of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. If granted the rezoning, Blackson said the church will immediately begin pulling permits for site work.

He said if all goes to according to plan, the Ballantyne location could be finished by the end of the 2014.

GUION can be reached at [email protected], (704) 817-1344 or on Twitter at @paytonguion.