Current Project Plans and Revisions

Barbara Kernochan reported progress in discussions with Santa Monica city officialsabout various approvals needed for our church's proposed building program. Shenoted that plans for a bridge across the alley connecting the second floor ofForbes Hall to a new religious education building on 17th Street have been shelvedbecause a bridge would have to be higher than the roof of Forbes Hall so truckscould pass.

Plans now call for a two-story structure on 17th Street for religious educationclasses, meeting rooms, and other uses, for enlarging the sanctuary by extendingit south into the current office space, and for the renovation of upstairs roomsinto office space.

Jim Cadwell reported that the project cost and capital campaign goal has beenrevised to $1.5 million. Capital Campaign organizers held orientation meetingson May 22 and 23 for small groups of members, as the beginning of involvingeveryone in the campaign efforts.

Annual Report to the Congregation

On Sunday, May 20, Barbara Kernochan reported:

1. We have met with the Santa Monica Planning Department. Senior planning staffwere encouraging about our building proposal, noting that two church expansionprojects similar to ours met with approval this past year. We now know exactlywhat documents will need to be submitted in our own approval process. Our land-useattorney will file Parking Variance and Conditional Use Permit applicationson our behalf. We have also learned that the city is willing to extend our finishdeadline to ten years, which allows us enormous flexibility. We are in the processof updating our facility usage survey and have sent a letter of intent to SantaMonica-UCLA Medical Center to open negotiations for a parking agreement.

2. Financials: We have set our capital campaign goal. The figure will not allowus to build all that we would like, but it is an attainable goal, given thesize of our congregation and the history of generosity we have established.We may indeed look to creative financing in order to make up some shortfall,as many congregations must do. The establishment of a clear fundraising goalis an important step in clarifying the building program, and has brought ourarchitect's challenge into sharp focus.

3. Architecture: The board has instructed that our architect proceed to theschematic drawing phase, thus defining the scope of work every more clearly.The elements we are requesting remain as before: a new building on 17th Street,with nursery, classroom/meeting rooms, and library/multi-use space, a 30% increaseto our sanctuary space, a reconfiguration of the upstairs into administrativeoffices, accessibility including two elevators and redesigned circulation, exteriorelements to include some parking, play space and memory garden. Overall, a placeof good bones, light, movement, and beauty. We are no longer looking for a bridgingof the alley, nor any major renovation to Forbes Hall. A structural engineerhas assessed Forbes Hall and recommends we leave it intact. As the schematicwork reaches completion, the current cost uncertainties will be minimized, andwe can cost out the project with some degree of accuracy. We look forward toarchitectural drawings in the next few months, to finally give substance toour long-held vision.