Proposed Elijah B. White III Memorial Parish Hall, April 2024
- Can you compare the Parish Hall’s accessibility for parishioners to that of the Cottage? What sort of improvements can we expect? The designfor the Parish Hall includes handicap parking at its entrance, a paved path to the door, and a single level throughout the building. It will be accessible throughout and will ensure that congregants with temporary or long-term mobility concerns will be able to fully participate in Parish life.Even if we had decided to add a hall onto the cottage, the modified existing interior would not have met our Parish’s building requirements and there would have remained major accessibility obstacles for many parishioners given the cottage’s limited parking and the uneven terrain between it, the church building, and the main parking lot. A purpose-built Parish Hall would meet all accessibility standards inside and outside.
- What are we doing to make the building beautiful as well as economical? How does the proposed design and location address the Vestry’s approved purpose of being attentive to aesthetics, accessibility, and durability/longevity of the structure? The one-story design for the Parish Hall is intended to complement, not compete with, the Church Building, and is in a location adjacent to the parking lot for maximum accessibility. The height of the hall is intentionally lower than the that of the Nave. An aesthetically pleasing and functional design does not have to be expensive. The concept design uses classical proportions similar to that of the Church Building, combined with a functional and accessible layout and a vaulted ceiling in the main hall. It also calls for durable and quality materials such as Hardi-plank exterior siding, wooden vinyl-clad casement windows, and solid wooden doors. Finer details and finishes such as upgraded flooring and finishing the commercial cooking kitchen can be added as resources allow.
- What kind of input can the Congregation provide at this point? Is the Vestry open to recommended improvements? This design is not final and it is still a concept. Changes are likely, and the Vestry wants to hear the Congregation’s thoughts. We’ve already received some interesting ideas for improvements that we will bring up with the architect, and would welcome more. That said, radical changes would be expensive and are therefore less likely than minor improvements.
- Would it be possible to add a hallway or hallways to the classroom wing so that they can be accessed when the main hall’s stage area is in use? Yes, we’ve received one thoughtful and inexpensive possible solution already, and will raise it and any others recommendations with the architect and Building Committee for consideration.
- Are there additional requirements if we decide to use the building for a school in the future? No. Loudoun County code requires that if toddlers are placed in classrooms within a school, those rooms must have an egress door to outside, and our current plan’s nursery was designed to meet those requirements. The rest of the building and classrooms should not require any modifications to be used as a school.
- What say does the Congregation have in the decision to build a new parish hall? Will we get to vote? The Congregation first gets a say through the capital campaign. The Vestry will not move forward if the building is not funded. The Vestry is unanimously committed to not mortgaging our church building, should financing be necessary for the construction. If financing requires that any of our land be mortgaged as collateral, the mortgaging would require an approving vote by the Congregation, according to our bylaws.
- Can we afford a new parish hall at this time and how does it fit in our current priorities? Won’t this limit our ability to pursue other desires such as a church plant or a parish school down the road? It is true that we are taking on new expenses, such as the hiring of a second minister. But that is necessary to support the gift of growth God has given the parish. Even with the hiring of a second clergyman, the Vestry is very attentive to the finances and is committed to responsible stewardship of our resources. We still project a very large surplus this year and the following years.
Efforts such as a church plant and parish school will be weighed as the conditions necessary to engage those projects present themselves, but the need for a parish hall is a more pressing priority. Our average attendance has tripled over the past four years, bringing many young children as well as congregants who would benefit from greater accessibility. The construction of a parish hall would enable fuller participation in parish life. It is also worth noting that the Parish Hall could be used to house a parish school should the church decide to start one, so the building would contribute to that end and not take away from it. Regardless, we will not move forward with any effort unless 1) we can see a reasonable pathway to succeed in any endeavor and 2) we see that the endeavor is financially feasible.
The affordability of the Parish Hall ultimately depends on the success of the capital campaign. If we don’t raise enough money, we won’t build it. That said, Church of Our Saviour is in a strong financial position with over $250,000 net income last year and nearly $580,000 in our total bank accounts as of April 2024, plus pledges and gifts now being given to build the Parish Hall. The vestry is confident Church of Our Saviour can afford a parish hall and still maintain a very conservative budget and financial position.
- How much money needs to be raised before the decision is made to build? Who makes that decision…the Congregation or the Vestry? The Vestry will set the amount. At this point the Capital Campaign has recommended that when giving and pledges have reached $500,000 the Vestry move forward with permitting and construction drawings from the architect.
- What considerations have been made to reducing energy consumption? The floorplan is designed in three main zones that can be heated and cooled independently. The office and kitchen wing can be kept comfortable independent of the main hall and classrooms if they are not in use.
- What happened to the considerations of adding onto the Cottage?
From 2020-2022, the Vestry explored adding a 1400 SF room onto the Cottage to seat 80 people for a meal and modifying the current interior to meet commercial building codes and accessibility standards. However, since that time the Vestry saw a need for a revised list of needs to accommodate the growth of our Parish, including:
- Nursery and classroom space for 50+ children under 13, over 20 of which are under age 5. The current nursery in the Cottage cannot accommodate the children as it stands now, and would have been reduced in the modifications by about one third to make room for a required accessible restroom.
- Our average attendance has grown from 40 in 2020 to 130 in 2023. To facilitate our active Parish life, we need a meeting space that can house our full congregation. The Cottage addition and modification plan from 2022 does not accommodate those numbers.
- Some of our congregants are currently unable to attend coffee hour, picnics, and other church functions held at the cottage due to accessibility issues, including rough terrain, door width, steps, and other issues in addition to space. Our Parish needs a space where all members of the congregation can easily participate in activities and fellowship. The prior plan’s modifications to meet minimum accessibility requirements would not be as effective as a new parish hall designed from the start to be accessible.
The proposal’s estimated cost of $420k in 2022 and its inability to meet our revised list of needs approved by the Vestry in 2022 led the Vestry in September 2022 to stop work on the architectural services supporting the cottage addition and to pursue the option of a separate new parish hall that would meet our identified needs.
