As we lean into the much-needed task of improving our facilities for ministry and mission, the Facilities Improvement Team (FIT) is committed to helping the FBC congregation stay informed and engaged throughout the process. Be sure to read the bi-weekly FIT news and information in the churchwide email Updates and here on the FIT Blog.
Lucy Plovnick, FIT Co-Leader
Recap of congregational meeting held February 2, 2020
by FIT Co-Leader Lucy Plovnick
As you know, the Facilities Improvement Team, co-chaired by Dave Ryder and me, has been working hard for the last two-plus years to develop a proposal for addressing FBC’s numerous facilities issues, including working with developer Keener-Squire to negotiate a plan to (1) renovate and restore our existing Sanctuary Building (the 1955 Building), and (2) replace current Education Building (the 1983 Addition) with a new structure where the first floor and lower floors (basement and sub-basement) belong to FBC, while the upper floors become apartment space similar to The Drake. The FIT Team has been hard at work and has established five different sub-teams to tackle the many different aspects of this enormous project:
Development Team (led by Wil McBeath)
Design Team (led by Lucy Plovnick)
Finance Team (led by Dave Ryder)
Building Transition Team (led by Jay Guenthner)
CDC Wind Down Team (led by Sarah Hodges-Austin)
At last weeks’ congregational meeting, Wil McBeath and I gave a report on behalf of the FIT Development and Design Teams and shared the most recent draft of the plans that Wil and our outside architect, Eric Colbert, have been working on for both the FBC floors of new building that will take the place of the Education Building, and the expected renovations planned for the Sanctuary Building. You can look at a copy of the draft plans here.
Important features of the draft plans include:
One over-arching goal we have had in the FIT process is to improve FBC’s accessibility for all people, particularly those with physical challenges. The plans reflect significant improvements in this area, such as the addition of a new elevator in the Narthex; a new elevator in the Sanctuary Building that will descend to the parking garage and access all floors; ramp-access to the relocated Youth Lounge; the additional of many accessible bathrooms; and relocating the Choir Room so that it will have easy elevator access.
A new entrance off O Street with a welcome center area.
Renovated Children’s Rooms with sink and toilet facilities on the ground floor, close to the O Street entrance and elevator.
Placement of all Sunday School Classrooms on the same floor, near one another.
Placement of all staff offices on the same floor, near one another.
Addition of two “bunk rooms” with shower facilities.
Restoration of the Sanctuary (including new lighting), renovating the Fellowship Hall and Narthex to make them more welcoming and improve access.
Elimination of the gym in favor of accessible parking with elevator access.
As Wil explained during the meeting, the plans are still a work in progress and we would appreciate the congregation’s input as we move forward with the help of the FIT Finance Team to start working on addressing ways to finance the project. If you have comments or questions, please speak to Wil, Lucy, Dave, or any FIT Team member.
FIT members:
Didier Ahimera, Alyssa Aldape, Kate Campbell, Chelsea Clarke, Rod Coates (Moderator), Ken Ellison, Jay Guenthner (FIT Transition Team Leader), Philip Hawkins, Sarah Hodges-Austin, Dennis Lambert, Wil McBeath, Bill Newell, Julie Pennington-Russell, Lucy Plovnick (FIT Co-Leader), Dave Ryder (FIT Co-Leader)