Make a comprehensive study of our facility and develop a Facility Master Plan and Building Program which will provide the necessary physical tools our congregation needs
a. Connect and integrate the campus
b. Update and refurbish the older elements of our buildings and furnishings
c. Create smart classrooms for teaching and discipleship
d. Provide substantial places for people to connect and to build community
e. Improve the “way-finding” in the buildings with clear and easy access and entry
f. Be an invitational campus that attracts visitors and downtown residents
Thanks To All Of You Who Participated In The Listening Sessions To Provide Input To A New Facility Master Plan.
A comprehensive facility master plan is one of our initiatives of the 20/20 Strategic Vision. It will lay out how to best use current and future facilities to accomplish the focus the 20/20 Vision, which is creating space to enter to belong to serve. It will not be a building plan, but will allow future building plans to be completed in concert with a cohesive long-term plan.
The next step is for the architects whom we have engaged to analyze the information gathered during their time here and to begin laying out plans that might meet the ministry needs of First Presbyterian over the next several years. The Facilities Planning Committee will continue to meet with the team of architects throughout this process, which is likely to continue into the early spring of 2018.
Please be in prayer during this process, as we seek the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you have additional thoughts on our opportunities and needs, please contact one of the members of the Facilities Planning Committee:
Facility Planning Committee
Joe Ely, Chair | jely@triad.rr.com
Bruce Hubbard | bhubbard50@yahoo.com
Coleman Team | coleman@linvilleteam.com
Cornelia Hauhuth | ckhauhuth@gmail.com
David Meyer | dlmeyer14@gmail.com
David Taylor | dtaylor@ecats.tv
Edward Griggs | egriggs@wcsr.com
Ellen Gibbs | ewgibbs@aol.com
Taylor Irwin | r.taylor.irwin@gmail.com
Heather Thomsen Tang | heathert@1stpres.com
Leigh Askew | leighaskew78@gmail.com
Peter Barnes | peterb@1stpres.com
Richard Harrington | rch218@gmail.com
Rick McBride | rick@mcnairconstruction.com
Rob Boone | rhbconstruction@gmail.com
Tom Muse | musetd@gmail.com
Chuck Hobbs | chobbs43@yahoo.com
Initial Goals Of The Facility Master Plan
One of the initiatives included in the 20/20 strategic plan was a “comprehensive facility master plan and building program”. The church has recently begun the master planning process, and has developed the ten goals listed below. However, an overarching goal is to engage the congregation and church leadership in an open and transparent planning process, undergirded by prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit, that will be unifying and build trust and excitement about the future of the church.
1. Create new and renovated space that encourages people “to enter, to belong and to serve” in support of the mission of the 20/20 Vision to invite all people to say “yes!” to Jesus with their whole lives
2. Plan new facilities to welcome visitors to the church
• A gracious and inviting space for fellowship
• A “hub” to make information about church activities easily accessible
• A clear “Front Door” to the church
• Direct access to major church ministries including worship and classrooms for children, youth and adults
3. Plan new spaces that will connect and integrate the campus, creating a gracious flow and clear wayfinding among existing, new and renovated facilities
4. Plan multiple spaces throughout the campus that encourage fellowship and build a sense of community
5. Plan renovations to create a vibrant and fresh look for the church
• Renovate the Heritage Building to provide beautiful meeting and reception areas that honor the architectural character of the building.
• Renovate and possibly expand the Fellowship Hall and Kitchen
• Provide new furnishings for renovated spaces
6. Provide spaces to support and enhance on-going ministries and missions.
• Provide vibrant, easily accessed space for children and youth that is attractive to young families
• Provide additional classrooms for Adults, including space for Seniors near the Sanctuary
• Provide Flexible, Multi-Purpose space for ministering to the under-served downtown community
• Provide expanded rehearsal and support space for the Music Ministry
• Consider strategies to provide adequate parking for weekday ministries and for improving access for Seniors
7. Plan for flexible and versatile space that can be easily reconfigured and that can serve multiple purposes
8. Provide for enhanced security throughout the campus, especially for children
9. Plan for improvements that will enhance the worship experience in both the Worship Center and Sanctuary
• Renovate the Worship Center to create a strong connection between worship leaders and congregants, changing its current feel of being a performance venue
• Plan for making the Worship Center a more reverential space, including incorporation of Christian symbols
• Consider ways to bring natural light and/or a visual connection to the outside to the Worship Center
• Consider more effective use of video in the Sanctuary while respecting the character and beauty of the space
• Plan for improving the acoustics in the Sanctuary, including reducing mechanical noise
10. Be good stewards in planning for sustainable and energy efficient building systems
Goals For A Revised Facilities Building Program
One of the initiatives included in the 20/20 strategic plan was a “comprehensive facility master plan and building program”. The church initiated the master planning process and developed a set of goals to guide it. However, an overarching goal is to engage the congregation and church leadership in an open and transparent planning process, undergirded by prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit, that will be unifying and build trust and excitement about the future of the church.
The following goals are established for a revised building program that meets the parameters established in the fall of 2018. Approved by Session in February 2019.
1. Create new and renovated space that encourages people “to enter, to belong and to serve” in support of the mission of the 20/20 Vision to invite all people to say “yes!” to Jesus with their whole lives
2. Plan facilities that welcome visitors to the church, create opportunities for gathering, fellowship and building community, connect the campus, provide gracious flow, and create clear wayfinding among all ministry areas of the church
3. Ensure the facilities provide an out-facing posture, accommodating community needs and mission initiatives
4. Plan renovations to give a fresh look to the church and support on-going ministries
- Update the Fellowship Hall finishes, ceiling and lighting
- Integrate Building B into the flow and overall design of the campus
- Plan for flexible and versatile space that can be easily reconfigured and that can serve multiple purposes
- Repair or resurface parking lots
- Reconfigure office space to be more efficient, inviting, accessible and encouraging of collaboration
5. Enhance security throughout the campus, especially for children
6. Be good stewards in planning for sustainable and energy efficient building systems
Updates
June 2019 Update
Architects continue to work on concepts to meet the stated goals, focusing on connecting the campus, providing easier navigation for visitors, and providing community gathering space. Staff and Session have seen the work-in-progress concepts, which will continue to be developed and expanded upon.
February 2019 Updates
Session approved a new set of goals for a revised building program in its February meeting.
You will recall that church leadership paused in its execution of a facilities master plan and building program, one of our 20/20 strategic initiatives, in the fall. The church entered a period of discernment after cost estimates of the proposed plan far exceeded the church’s capacity. The church also wanted to ensure any building program aligned with other strategic initiatives. Late in 2018 the Session authorized the Facilities Planning Committee to resume work on a building program with lower cost parameters. The team met to determine a narrower set of goals to guide their work.
With the goals listed above, the team will resume its collaboration with architects and other professionals to develop a new plan. There is no timetable for the establishment of the plan, and it is anticipated that this work will proceed for several months. Feel free to contact any member of the Facilities Planning Committee with your thoughts and suggestions. FPC members are listed at the top of the page.
August 2018 Updates
Phase 1 of the Facilities Planning Committee’s (FPC) work was to engage an outside firm to assess the church’s systems and equipment for issues potentially requiring repair or replacement. This was completed in early 2017, and has been very useful to both the Facilities and Finance Committee and the Facilities Planning Committee.
Phase 2 of the FPC’s work was to engage the architectural firm of Merriman, Holt and Powell to help develop an overall facilities master plan based on the ten goals developed by the FPC and reviewed and approved by the Session. The overriding goal has been to create facilities that will support the various current ministries of the Church, as well as to be flexible enough to support future ministries. Much prayer and thought has gone into the master plan process, and preliminary concepts have been created and reviewed within the FPC, Session and staff.
Phase 3 is currently underway, and consists of a feasibility study to determine both the estimated cost of the most favored master plan concept, as well as an assessment of the congregation’s willingness to support the proposed plan financially. Working with the fundraising consulting firm of Whitney Jones and general contractor Blum Construction we expect this study to be completed early this Fall.
Once we have the results of the feasibility study we will take the next step forward – to wherever the Lord leads us!
July 2018 Update
Joe Ely has led a team of 15 covenant partners in our church to develop this Site Master Plan together with an architectural firm for the past several months. Many of you took part in the listening sessions that were conducted to learn about your concerns and dreams for our facility. In May, the Facilities Planning Committee presented to Session an initial concept for them to review. It is still a work in progress, but now we’re at a point where we need to answer three important questions:
1. What do we need?
2. How much will it cost?
3. Do we have the interest and the capacity to build it?
Session approved doing a feasibility study to gauge the interest and capacity of the congregation to undertake a building program, and it also gave permission to the Facilities Planning Committee to work with a contractor to develop cost estimates.
Over the next few months, Whitney Jones, a consultant here in town, and his colleagues will be working with a planning team led by elder Bo Brookby. The Session hopes to receive a report from the Planning Team at its meeting in September as the elders continue to pray about and study what God is calling us to do. Please join the Session in prayer as we seek God’s will.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Edward Griggs, chair of the 20/20 Team, Joe Ely, chair of the Facility Planning Committee, or Bo Brookby, chair of the Feasibility Study Planning Team. We will be happy to keep you informed and answer any questions you may have.
January 2018 Update
- A firm was hired to assess the church’s facilities in order for repairs and life expectancies to be established for our buildings and equipment
- Another firm has been engaged to produce a Facility Master Plan which will identify ways that our facilities need to be updated and connected in a manner that is consistent with the outcomes of the other initiatives
- Listening sessions have been performed