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Westminster Unitarian Church
We celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of every person

New Building Vision Committee

MEMO TO THE CONGREGATION
NOVEMBER 4, 2007

The New Building Vision Committee has worked steadily over the past few months to create a vision for a new building at Westminster Unitarian Church to present to the Congregation.  Our goal in this process has been to create a future vision for the building that addresses the needs of our growing congregation, that honors our collective history with our current spaces, and that is rooted in our UU values – particularly with regard to the 7th Principle, honoring the interdependent web of which we are a part. Below is a brief explanation of the process and considerations that influenced this vision.

PROCESS
The New Building Vision Committee was originally the idea of Rory Smith and Dan Connor who were concerned that the existing Parish House does not meet our current needs, leaving aside whatever our future needs might become. Other concerns involve space constraints, the cost associated with repairing the current structure, and the expense of bringing the building up to code. They approached the board and sought approval in March 2007 to form a committee to look into the feasibility of constructing a new building.  The board approved the formation of the committee, and Carolyn Mark and Board Member Tony DiBella joined the committee at that time in addition to Rory Smith and Dan Connor. 

The Committee, in conjunction with the Board, held four Congregational meetings in the spring to get input from the Congregation in terms of what they wanted in a new Parish House.  The Committee interviewed several architectural firms to assist in the project and selected one of the largest and most respected firms in the state, Brewster Thornton Group Architects, LLP.  The Committee also raised $25,000 from individual church members to pay for the architectural services without burdening the annual budget. The architects met over the summer with the committee and the board and went through numerous designs in order to create the vision being presented.  

LOCATION
Several locations were considered for the site of the new building.  The first location was along Kenyon Ave., which allowed construction to commence while still occupying the existing Parish House.  Issues with this design included zoning offsets from the property line and blockage of the view from Kenyon Ave. to our Sanctuary.  The second site selected was on the hill overlooking the Parsonage.  Further investigation of the site survey revealed that the slope in this area was too steep to locate a new building.  The final site location was further North on the lot but still looking over the hill toward the Parsonage and adjacent to the Sanctuary.   

SIZE AND COST
Designs for the new building have contemplated building sizes ranging from approximately 9,000 SF to 10,000 SF.  A building of this size can accomplish most of the goals desired by the Congregation.  The size of the current Parish House Building is approximately 7,000 SF on the first and second floor.  The existing third floor is unusable per code requirements.
Construction costs per SF can range based on a wide variety of factors not the least of which is the quality and detail of the final design.  A building made of cinder block will clearly be more economical than a building of wood and stone.  We have considered costs per SF between $225 and $300.  Given the desired aesthetics of our new building, we believe costs will eventually be in the upper end of this estimate. Using the square foot and cost figures above, we can estimate that a new building could fall within the range of $2.0 million and $3.0 million.  This estimated cost of the building would include such items as built-ins and appliances, but would not include furnishings and/or sitework.

BUILDING ATTRIBUTES DESIRED BY THE CONGREGATION
Through a series of several meetings with the Congregation in the spring of 2007, a list of important elements for the new building was developed.  The current design for the new building includes the following key attributes among others requested by the Congregation:

GREEN BUILDING CONSIDERATIONS
The architects that were selected to help create the new building vision were selected in part because of their extensive experience with “green building design.” Throughout the design process, the architects identified the many opportunities there will be to go “green,” including spatial efficiency and flexibility, the application of natural light, the use of energy-efficient appliances, and the selection of green building materials. The committee and the architects are committed to using the “LEED” standards as a guideline for making our church spaces as environmentally-sustainable as possible. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Consistent with the LEED standards, the committee will also be investigating opportunities to salvage select architectural features of the current building.

PARKING
The new plan has 81 parking spaces, which is greatly expanded from the approximately 36 spaces that currently exist.  Some of the parking areas are expected to incorporate a “green” concept of not using pavement but instead using a combination of grass and underlying support that can mitigate runoff, accommodate cars when necessary, and look natural when not in use.

EXTERIOR AESTHETIC
The exterior aesthetic for the building accomplishes several purposes.  It blends in with our New England heritage and the surrounding neighborhood.  It is not meant to be residential or institutional but somewhere in between.  It is meant to have its own new look and feel for our vibrant congregation but also blend in with the existing Sanctuary, which was constructed in the 1960’s.   It has a natural look of wood and stone complemented by ample windows for sunlight, which honors our connection with nature.  It is an aesthetic we are proud to present, and we believe it will attract generations of new Unitarians from our local area as they shop among the many nearby church communities for a spiritual home. 

LOOKING FORWARD
Suggested next steps in the process of visioning our new building would include the following:

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
Members of the New Building Vision Committee greatly value the thoughts, questions, or concerns of the congregation. We encourage members of the congregation to participate fully in future conversations and decision-making processes regarding the new building vision, and to, in the meantime, feel free to contact members of the New Building Vision Committee.  Contact the church office at westminsteruu@verizon.net

THANK YOU!

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