Islamic Center of Evansville

In 1987 or 1988, the Islamic community in Evansville was given a piece of land next to the St. Benedict Cathedral on Lincoln Avenue, and in 1992 a mosque building was completed on the site. It is an example of what Omar Khalidi calls "innovative" mosque design, or one that departs from traditional Islamic elements and style.The single story brick building sits next to the cathedral, in a neighborhood mixed with residential, educational, and commercial buildings. It is a simple, bungalow-like building with no outward references to mosque architecture, except for the projecting mihrab. It has no minaret or dome. Inside, the large, rectangular prayer hall has a barn-like roof.In 2008, construction began on a new center located on a 5-acre parcel of land at 4200 Grimm Road in Newburgh. At 15,000 sq. ft., this new facility is nearly three times the size of the Lincoln Avenue mosque, and includes a larger prayer space, dedicated classrooms, and ample parking. The mosque building on Lincoln Avenue is currently being used as a medical office building, but the exterior remains largely unchanged.Sources:Khalidi, Omar. "Import, Adapt, Innovate: Mosque Design in the United States." Saudi Aramco World (November/December 2001): 24-33.Khalidi, Omar. Mosques in the United States of America and Canada, 6. Berlin: US Embassy Germany, [ca. 2006]. http://archnet.org/publications/9968.Orr, Susan. "New 15,000-square-foot Islamic Center will give society much-needed room to grow." Evansville Courier & Press, October 18, 2008. Accessed January 12, 2015. http://www.courierpress.com/lifestyle/faith-and-values/under-construction-new-15000-square-foot-islamic.salatomatic. "Islamic Center of Evansville." Accessed January 12, 2015, http://www.salatomatic.com/spc/1OZLDPePzq.