Our Place to Grow
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not to harm, to give you a future with hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Together we can make Saint Andrew’s future “Our Place to Grow”
~ In Service
~ In Faith
~ In Worship
~ In Grace
If you missed the Expansion Timeline Team Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, May 3, click here to view the document handed out that day. If you would like to see the slides that were presented at the meeting by Neumann Monson just click this link: Camp Cardinal Concept Presentation, May 3, 2009
The Expansion Timeline Team (ETT) and the architects would like your feedback on the proposed ideas to help refine the design. You may submit your comments in the box provided in the Narthex or by emailing the ETT at optg@saintandrew-ic.org.
Paul Aus videotaped the presentation for anyone unable to attend but wishing to review the presentation. Please contact the church office if you’re interested in viewing the tape. We would like to thank all who attended the Design Concept Presentation and who have provided input through various other streams. Your input will help ensure that a potential new facility would meet the needs of the congregation for many years to come.
More information from the ETT
Below is Neumann Monson’s summary of the benefits of conducting a Master Planning Workshop along with their conclusions from the Master Planning Workshop on Feb. 22.
The Master Planning Workshop was a very valuable tool in the design process. Below is a listing of some of our observations:
Commonalities:
- Multi-level construction with entrances at each level
- Utilizing western portion of the site for construction, most common the northwest corner
- Desire for good visibility of the building
- Use of natural daylight throughout the facility, especially the worship space with views toward the natural landscape
- Desire for an energy efficient, sustainable “green” building design to minimize long-term operating costs
- Use narthex space as a pre-assembly area for both the worship space and the multi-purpose room
- Provide ample parking
- Incorporate site amenities, prayer gardens, prayer walks, outdoor chapels, labyrinth, etc.
Additional options to explore:
-Single story construction
-Multi-purpose room on a lower level for worship space
-Building location in the southwest portion of the site.
It is now our task to pull all this information into a conceptual design that will address these issues in varying degrees. On Sunday, May 3, at 9:40 am, this preliminary design concept will be presented to the congregation. Feedback from this presentation will be taken into consideration as the design is further refined.
We would like to thank all who participated in the workshop and who have provided input through various other streams. Your input will help ensure that a potential new facility would meet the needs of the congregation for many years to come.
The Expansion Timeline Team (ETT), consists of Toni Van Voorhis, Dean Oakes, Bill Hoeft, Terry Robinson and Brad Baldes — with assistance from Pastor Kyle, Pastor Bob, Dell Richard, and Bill Wittig.
Letter to the Mayor
Session sent this letter to Louise From, Mayor of University Heights, clarifying Session’s position regarding possible plans for our current 1300 Melrose Avenue church site and for the recently purchased Camp Cardinal Road property. It read:
It has come to the attention of Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church that members of the University Heights community may believe that the church’s decision to stay or leave 1300 Melrose Avenue is directly linked to the success or failure of the Jeff Maxwell development proposal, soon to be before the UH city zoning commission. In response, the church’s governing body, the Session, would like to clarify its position with the following statement:
“Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church is actively pursuing a building project on property we have recently purchased. Regarding our current property at 1300 Melrose Avenue, we have entered into a purchase agreement with Jeff Maxwell. Whereas the Maxwell deal is important to St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, our decision to move will be based upon a congregational vote and will happen, or not happen, on its own merits and with, or without, approval of the Maxwell project.
The property on which the church’s rear parking lot exists is owned by the University of Iowa and the church leases this land for its use. At the time it was granted permission to pave the rear parking lot, Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church informally agreed to notify the University of Iowa of any proposed sale of the church. At the time of the Maxwell offer, the church inquired as to whether the University of Iowa had any interest in matching the Maxwell offer. Although the UI declined to do so, note that this decision predates the acquisition by UI of the University Athletic Club property and the floods of June, 2008. If the Maxwell offer was terminated for any reason, Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church would expect that, prior to the property being placed on the market; further conversations would be conducted with the University of Iowa.”
Summary of the purpose of the Expansion Timeline Team:
To prepare for the POSSIBLE SALE OF the current church building AND, ACCCORDINGLY, THE POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CHURCH BUILDING, the Session appointed a sub-committee, called the Expansion Timeline Team, to formulate a workable timeline OF EVENTS INHERENT IN THIS PROCESS.
Since August 2008, the Expansion Timeline Team (ETT), consisting of Toni Van Voorhis, Dean Oakes, Bill Hoeft, Terry Robinson and Brad Baldes — with assistance from Pastor Kyle, Pastor Bob, Dell Richard, and Bill Wittig — has been meeting weekly to try to determine this timeline
The ETT has continued their work to firm up a workable time line of events for the possible sale of the current church building and, accordingly, the possible construction of a new church building. This due diligence work is being done by the ETT in response to the current offer for the purchase of the church. This work does not confirm the sale of the church; it merely places the congregation of St. Andrew in the proper position to proceed with the sale if all other contingencies and criteria are met.
The ETT believes that the congregation should not be asked to vote on the sale of the church without sufficient information upon which to base their decision. We envision presentation(s) in advance of the congregational vote that will include the following information: Project timeline, architectural drawings (schematic), project cost information and confirmation of the buyer’s release of contingencies (to occur no later than Aug. 15, 2009).
It is the intent of the ETT to provide updates in the SALT and Messenger (and worship service bulletin inserts) periodically as Session makes decisions related to the ETT’s efforts.
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