The new community events hall at Saint John Evangelist Orthodox Church in Orinda – built by civil engineer and project lead Fuad Sweiss – recently opened after more than a decade of planning. The versatile space features a 5,000-square-foot main hall, commercial kitchen, advanced audiovisual systems and an outdoor plaza, and is designed to serve both parishioners and the wider Lamorinda community for celebrations, cultural gatherings and civic events.
After 12 years of planning and anticipation, Saint John Evangelist Orthodox Church has opened a new community hall in Orinda, creating a versatile space for both parishioners and the wider Lamorinda community.
Fuad Sweiss, a civil engineer and longtime Orinda resident who led the project’s construction, described the hall as a labor of love for both his profession and his community.
“I’ve spent my career building public projects across California, but doing this in my own community was different,” he said. “The joy of standing quietly at the back of the church or in a corner of the new hall, watching hundreds of people enjoy a space I helped bring to life, is truly unmatched.”
Sweiss, born and raised in Jordan, moved to the United States in 1987 and began his career driving a taxi in San Francisco before joining the City of Oakland as a construction inspector. However, Fuad climbed the career ladder quickly and became City Engineer for San Francisco then director of Public Works in Santa Ana before retiring from public service in 2019.
He moved to Orinda in 2002, where he and his wife, Nadia, raised three sons. “Orinda truly became home, not just a place to live, but a community we’re deeply connected to,” he said.
The vision for the hall was decades in the making, and Sweiss credited the project’s success to timing, leadership and collaboration.
“What made it possible was alignment. Leadership, parish commitment, financing and timing all came together at the right moment. Truly, the trust of Father Nicholas (Borzghol) and the parish council in my ability to build this project is what made this building a reality,” said Sweiss.
The hall features a 5,000-square-foot main venue, a commercial kitchen, advanced audiovisual systems and an outdoor plaza. Flexibility was a key design priority.
“The hall needed to work equally well for community events, cultural gatherings, educational programs and private celebrations. Good acoustics, accessibility and circulation were essential, along with infrastructure that will serve the community well for decades to come,” Sweiss said.
City leadership also played a crucial role in keeping the project on track.
“The City [of Orinda] was a true partner throughout the process. City leadership and staff were professional, responsive and collaborative, which helped keep the project on track while maintaining the necessary oversight,” said Sweiss.
Sweiss emphasized that the project reflected the strength of the church community. With a total cost exceeding $7 million, it was funded largely through donations and a bank loan.
“It wasn’t driven by a single donor, but by years of generosity, sacrifice and shared belief in the project,” he said. “The level of commitment shows how deeply people cared about creating something lasting for both the church and the wider community.”
Borzghol, who has led Saint John Orthodox Church for 14 years, highlighted the spiritual and communal significance of the new hall.
“By the grace of God we were able to accomplish our goal by building this magnificent structure. The entire parish family of St. John’s gives glory to God for His many blessings,” Borzghol said.
The new hall is designed to welcome both parishioners and the broader Orinda/Lamorinda community for weddings, celebrations and civic gatherings.
“We are constantly receiving visitors and new members from different backgrounds. The addition of the new building of our hall will extend our ability to reach out to the entire broader community by making it available to everyone for their celebrations and beyond,” he said.
Looking ahead, Borzghol envisions the hall as a hub for community engagement.
“With our new facility, we can offer a more welcoming space for this community. In the past, members of this community came to our annual food festival only, and occasionally some neighbors used our parking lot to park cars of their visitors. Now we can offer even more for them,” he said.
Sweiss, who is also founder of the nonprofit, “Hospitals Without Borders,” views the construction of the hall as an opportunity to give back to the community that has become his home.
“I felt a strong responsibility to deliver something that reflects Orinda’s values – quality, durability and long-term benefit,” he said.
The hall’s completion in December of last year, not only provided a venue for parishioners and community members, but also symbolized the power of collaboration and shared purpose.
“This project truly took a village. I’m grateful to the church leadership, donors, volunteers, the design and construction teams and the City of Orinda,” Sweiss said. “It’s a great example of what can happen when a community works together with a shared purpose.”
The hall at Saint John Orthodox Church is located at 501 Moraga Way in Orinda, near Hall Drive. The church, which has served Lamorinda families for generations, also offers a children’s preschool. For more information, visit www.SaintJohnHall.org or contact Rania Maamari at 925.989.4431 or reserve@saintjohnhall.org.