On behalf of the entire Construction & Renovation Committee, we extend our sincere thanks to those of you who attended our special church townhall meeting after worship services on August 30th. We appreciate the interest shown in this important initiative, as well as the support of the work of the committee.
Nelson Melton presented an overview of the most recent findings in the analysis of our structures, including recent findings related to asbestos abatement in the row houses and the Williams Building, the impact of city fire code requirements, and the resulting need to modify our original cost estimates and time lines for construction. Bill Welstead outlined next steps in our continuing efforts to raise funds for this project. Members were then invited to ask questions related to construction and renovation efforts. Some of the questions included:
- Where will the library be located in the floor plans?
The church has not maintained an active library for about six years. The plans do not currently include a specific location for a library for that reason. We plan to locate reference materials in our Sunday school classrooms. Marty Watkins suggested that it would be helpful for our ESL activities to have a library of relevant materials, and Sandi Lowery volunteered to serve as the church librarian. Discussion around this topic will continue. - Where will the history room be located?
Consideration of the location of the history room is in progress. We intend to have some of our historical artifacts displayed in various areas of the church, including the new Gathering Area once it is completed. As we get closer to the time of the renovations for the Sanctuary Level of the main building, we will finalize how to manage how we highlight our important church history. - Will there be a lot of windows in the cafeteria for the kids?
Yes. There are a lot of windows in the plans for the new cafeteria in the Williams Building. - How are we progressing in our response to a letter received from Historic Richmond and the Fan District Association?
Nelson Melton and Sterling Severns are finalizing a letter in response to the one we received earlier this summer from Historic Richmond and the Fan District Association. We are crafting a response in expectation that the content will be of public record. We are also making every effort to be sensitive to the concerns expressed in the letter we received, while addressing our needs to move forward in the best interests of the church and the community we serve.
For those who were unable to attend this special townhall meeting, a copy of the presentation slides will display routinely on the monitor in the Meadow Street entrance foyer. And if you were not able to ask any questions that you have about this project during this meeting, please write your questions on the cards available on the table in that foyer and place the cards in the Vision mailbox. We will respond to your questions as soon as possible. Feel free to reach out to any of our committee members for information related to our Construction and Renovation plans. Committee members include: Nelson Melton, Bill Welstead, Kathy McGraw, Jim McMurray, Sterling Severns, and Donna Soyars.
Your continued prayers for our Vision and how we realize that Vision are appreciated!
