Dear Hope Church member or friend,
In the last few weeks, the Living Hope project has reached a significant milestone. We began in 2011 identifying ways in which our buildings could better support our ministries: more flexibility, more accessibility, more welcome, and more sustainability. We’ve completed Schematic Design (creative thinking about how we’d achieve those goals), Design and Development (figuring out how we could feasibly implement those creative ideas), and Construction Documentation (putting the “how-to” down on paper with enough detail to communicate with those who will implement the plans).
The first week of April, we received the responses to our bid requests, based on the Construction Documents. The high level of activity in construction in our region has meant one of the most challenging bidding environments our construction managers at Elzinga & Volkers have ever seen. This good news for the construction industry, all the people who work within it, and our community has meant challenges for our project.
The Living Hope Team, including our construction managers and Elevate Studio, our architects, have spent significant time reviewing our plans to keep them on track with the financial models used by the Capital Campaign team–while still honoring the goals outlined in our design brief. We’ve also taken special care to assure that the renovations we complete are of high quality, while reserving parts of the original vision for another time. The team has been mindful of the legacy we leave for subsequent project teams responsible for the next renovation in support of the continued mission and ministry of Hope Church!
To align with the financial commitment the Capital Campaign Team deems advisable (as informed by the very generous support thus far from people like you), the Living Hope Team has determined that the west ramp from the Gathering Area to the Narthex must be deferred for another time. The west entrance to the sanctuary from the Gathering Area will be modified to include a ramp to the chancel, which accomplishes a key part of our accessibility goal.
The plan Consistory has approved for the Living Hope renovations continues to carry out our project goals of welcome, flexibility, accessibility, and sustainability:
- A more welcoming experience, starting with a canopy over the east-side entrance from the parking lot
- A chapel that will be a sacred space for Early Worship, special services as part of Lent and Advent seasons, and small weddings and funerals
- A nursery that is directly in view from the east-side entrance and more proximate to the sanctuary and chapel
- Accessibility to the second floor of the education wing, with an elevator that will remove obstacles for both Child Development Services and our own members and guests
- Reconfigured offices that enable staff to be more accessible to visitors and to each other
- An improved Commons with new sound and lighting, a refreshed youth room, and a new meeting room all for more hospitality and flexibility for the many groups who use them for many different purposes
- Enhanced controls for our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, along with some new components, all to manage our comfort and energy consumption
And it’s exciting to note that the renovation is already underway! Groundwork was laid starting in February, when Ben Sikkink led teams of volunteers to refresh Room 106 for use as temporary office space. That allowed Office 2 and Room 108 to be vacated for renovation; Child Development Services was able to move into their new office in Room 108 last week. That clears the way for demolition to begin in the Youth Room wing, which will include the new nursery and refreshed Youth Room.
The timeline for the rest of the construction will be shared as soon as it is finalized as bids are awarded for various parts of the work. Elzinga & Volkers will also provide a biweekly newsletter to keep everyone aware of what’s been complete and what’s on the horizon. Communications will also include volunteer opportunities–which will help us control costs as well as giving us a chance to show what we can accomplish together!
To bring you up to date on the financial side of the project: On April 26, Consistory approved a final project budget of $3,257,000. The Capital Campaign Team notes that we have $2,257,000 already pledged or donated. There is still a million dollars of funding to be located, and the team remains both confident and optimistic about achieving that goal.
Finally, please mark your calendar for June 12, after the 10 a.m. worship service, when we’ll have a celebration to formally launch the Living Hope renovation project. While there will be some disruption along the way, we’re excited to see the project unfold, and to have a facility that is more welcoming, accessible, flexible, and sustainable, all in support of our living, together, into the mission and ministry we share.