UPDATE 09 - What’s Going On at the Building?
Hey everyone,
It has been over a month since our last update. I’ve heard questions from a few of you: what’s the latest? What is going on with the building?
For the most part, the building has been sitting empty this summer. I’ve had a few meetings there. Scott Hicks and co. have had one or two days when they have rented a Uhaul and taken a few tons of stuff out of the building. (Can you believe that we have probably gotten at least ten tons out of the building since we closed on it in December?)
However, there has been lots of work going on behind the scenes. Our architects (Hexagon) have been finalizing schematics. We have been receiving and reviewing estimates. I have been meeting with sound professionals to think through how sound could work in a future worship area. In the weeks ahead, we will be having engineers come through the space to lay out with precision what work will be required, now that we have fuller schematics. In the weeks ahead, our architects will move into more granular elements of design now that schematics are getting finalized. In the months ahead, we will be seeking out bids from general contractors. Things have also slowed a bit over the summer, as happens everywhere. But rest assured that our team is still pushing forward.
Here is the short of it: lots and lots of work is required before you break ground on major renovations like these. This is a good thing! Consider how much time it takes to buy a chair: not much. You just go to the store, find one you like, buy it, and bring it home. But consider how much more time it takes if you are building a custom-built chair: if you don’t create sketches of the design of the chair, measure out the dimensions of the chair, know if it could support someone sitting in it, consider the materials you will use, and gather the tools to make the necessary cuts, you will end up spending more time and more money. Without preparation, you will make seven trips to Home Depot! Right now, we are doing all the preparatory work for building the custom chair. Except this is 1000x more complex than a chair. :)
There is still much to pray for!! Keep praying for our architects, our architecture team that is corresponding with them, and that God would give us this day our daily bread. God has provided so much so far. Pray that he would continue providing everything we need as we keep taking steps forward.
-Stephen
