Construction Starts on $60 Million 42-Acre Kingdom Builders' Center; Significant Project Phase within 234-acre Master Development Creates Jobs and New Business Opportunities in Southwest Houston.

HOUSTON -- Set within a 234-acre mixed-use development, the 450,000-square-foot Kingdom Builders' Center begins construction today. The new Center -- on 42 acres of never-developed land in Southwest Houston -- will include a Family Life Center, a 7,000-seat sanctuary, and a host of retail and civic components.

Funding on the estimated $60 million project comes from a mix of private and public sources including pledges from members of Windsor Village United Methodist Church and a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration. The M.D. Anderson Foundation is funding a state-of-the-art Therapeutic Play & Learn Center, and a local bank consortium led by Amegy Bank will provide debt financing for the history-making Kingdom Builders' Center. As of the date of this news release, the consortium includes: Whitney, JP Morgan Chase, Frost and Encore banks.

On Saturday, September 17th, Windsor Village United Methodist Church will combine its seven weekly church services from three locations, into one huge family celebration at W. Orem near S. Post Oak. During the Saturday evening event, Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, Mayor Bill White, Congressman Al Green and others will lead the community in celebrating the new facility and the role it will help play in transforming the under-served area in which it is located.

"Breaking ground on the Kingdom Builders' Center is an extraordinary day of celebration for all of the entities included in the 234-acre project and the entire community," says Caldwell. "God is blessing our land with tremendous opportunities for jobs, new locally-owned businesses, empowering programs to help transform lives in Southwest Houston."

The 234-acre project will offer products, goods and services that can be categorized generally into seven areas: commercial, cultural, economic, educational, recreational, social, and spiritual. Over 60% of the employment opportunities created by the Kingdom Builders' Center will be made available to underemployed low to moderate income residents from the surrounding communities. Upon completion, the mixed-use community is expected to exceed a value of $150 million.

Pastor Caldwell emphasizes the human scale of the buildings, and has asked the lead project architects, Morris Architects, to create a welcoming, approachable campus with intimate gathering spaces. "We want everyone who enters the KBC to celebrate life together whether they are learning new job skills, attending a play, riding on the carousel or studying for school," says Caldwell. "The building and proposed programs and services have been planned carefully to connect families and people to each other in healthy ways."

The multi-purpose Family Life Center is designed for ultimate flexibility and around-the-clock use for a variety of community and after school activities. The Houston Zoo is sponsoring an aviary with Macaws and other birds, and there will be an aquarium, a carousel, a 2-story slide, coffee shop, bookstore, and much more. The center will play host to classes for children, youth and adults; computer training; fitness activities; athletic tournaments; and special events. The Kingdom Builders' Prayer Institute will feature a 900-seat chapel and a 24-hour prayer call center serving local and international needs. The sanctuary adapts "theater in the round" designs to promote intimacy and features a 350-seat choir loft, areas for orchestras and dance performances, as well as a full recording.

"In keeping with the vision, the new center truly will be a community," says Mark V. Martof, principal, Morris Architects. "With features such as outdoor cafes, basketball courts and a bookstore, the Kingdom Builders' Center creates a town to reflect the role of a healthy community."

Several components of the master development at the corner of S. Post Oak and W. Orem are already underway. A CVS Pharmacy opened its doors in October of 2002. Directly across the street from CVS, a Walgreen's is celebrating its grand opening. The Corinthian Point Residential Subdivision recently completed its three-phase build-out of 462 single-family homes. An HISD elementary school finished construction just in time for the 2005-2006 school year.

Project timelines within the development include a YMCA, an independent living facility, a community park, a catfish pond, a Zina Garrison Tennis Center, plus other retail and public-use elements.

More than fifteen firms are involved in the design and construction of the Kingdom Builders' Center, including: George Johnson, Morris Architects, Tellepsen Builders, ESPA CORP, ESPA Architecture, Walter P. Moore, Charles D. Gooden Consulting Associates and CHPA Consulting Engineers.

About Windsor Village United Methodist Church

Windsor is the largest United Methodist Church in the nation. One of the principal factors contributing to Windsor Village's evolution is Pastor Caldwell's belief that the church must embrace theology, identify societal problems, and deliver solutions holistically. In other words, the church must take the "sanctuary" to the streets. By taking the Sanctuary to the streets, God's Word has become flesh and is therefore relevant, practical, and appreciated.

Some of Windsor's ministries have grown to become independent non-profit organizations. They are collectively known as The Power Connection. From elementary schools and community colleges to bookstores and basketball courts, and from job centers to AIDS ministries, Windsor and Kingdom Builders are focused on faith-based community transformation.