Renovation & Construction News for UUP’s Historic Building

In 2021, UU Petaluma was fortunate to receive a very generous gift from one of our members, Fatima Lassar, allowing us to purchase the 1901 church building on the corner of 5th and B St. in downtown Petaluma. The gift included sufficient funds to do some immediate work to make the building usable while we strategized a long-term approach to renovation. We put on a new roof, fixed decaying woodwork on the exterior, and painted the building.

Over the course of the past four years since we began holding services in the building in November 2021, we have engaged in a process of discernment regarding the path forward: what values do we wish to see expressed in our new home? A series of structured conversations involving UUP’s committees, staff, and board took place, with the architect we engaged to see us through the process, Mary Dooley of MAD Architects in Petaluma.

Our primary values of inclusion and of intergenerational involvement found their way into an initial set of plans.

A capital campaign by the entire congregation allowed us to proceed with some of the further needed work, which has been taking place over the past years, including the installation of new lighting in the sanctuary, upgrades for accessibility to our restrooms and to the building, the purchase of a new stove, the installation of solar panels, and more.

2025

In 2025 an additional gift from Fatima lead to the creation of the Design and Aesthetics Advisory Committee (DAAC) to take over the work of shepherding the process of renovation, and in December 2025, the DAAC and the Board presented the path forward to the congregation, first at an all-congregation meeting on December 14, 2025, and subsequently through less formal gatherings.

2026

The DAAC worked through the first quarter of 2026 to make major design decisions regarding overall layout of rooms as well as more detailed decisions on layout of the kitchen and bathroom areas. This was all done prior to reengaging with our architect. In April of 2026 we met with Mary Dooley of MAD Architect and presented our ideas and decisions. She took these and prepared a set of preliminary, more detailed plans which the DAAC reviewed in May. 

Having finalized the big design decisions we instructed Mary to go forward with a DRC Meeting with the City. At that time the City reviews the proposal and gives us their feedback. Depending on the results of that meeting, we then proceed to the Historic Site Plan and Architectural Review. That is a process we began and then discontinued a few years ago. It will require a more detailed set of plans including a landscape plan. 

The DRC meeting is scheduled for June 11, 2026. More information to follow in July.

Quarterly update meetings will be scheduled by the DAAC to keep the congregation informed, along with regular newsletter articles.

Please email OurNewHome@uupetaluma.org with questions or comments.