A. The expansion project calls for constructing a 22,734-square-foot addition to the existing 18,435-square-foot building. The addition would be designed to fit appropriately within the natural setting of our 7-acre wooded property.

 

A. We are overcrowded, out of space and our facilities are being stretched well beyond their maximum capacity. Our building was built in 1972 for a congregation of approximately 450 families. Today, our membership totals 625 families or more than 2,000 people.

 

 

A. The lack of available space is hampering our ability to provide the kinds of worship, educational, social and other programs required by our congregation. For example, rooms have to be set up multiple times each day to accommodate use as nursery school rooms, religious school rooms and rooms for evening activities such as adult education and committee meetings. This results in excessive wear and tear. The sanctuary and social hall are being used as thoroughfares and waiting areas which interferes with their intended use.

 

 

A. No. The project is being undertaken to address the worship, educational, social and community needs of our existing congregation.

 

 

A. Under the current plan, the new building will feature a beautiful new Social Hall with a pre-function gathering area, full kitchen, bridal room, nursery school with classrooms and offices for professional staff, and a beit midrash which will serve as a chapel and multi-purpose study room, music room and library.

 

A. We hope to restore the Sanctuary to its original splendor with all new lighting. The existing social hall/kitchen will be converted to classrooms and offices for the religious school.

 

 

A. The new building will be located on the hill across from the main entrance at the top of the driveway ring road. This will require removal of the current cement block entrance and excavation of a portion of the hill. The new and existing buildings will be connected by a beautiful new "Great Hall" which will also serve as a function space for congregational events and social events.

 

 

A. Consistent with the Torah’s teaching that we are obligated to guard and protect the earth, we are committed to incorporating in the project as many “green” and environmentally friendly design, material and other options as possible. Of course, how many “green” features we include will depend in part on construction cost.

 

A. All of our regular programs will continue during construction.  Our sanctuary will be available for services, and our classrooms will be available for Nursery School and Religious School.  The portion of our property where construction is ongoing will at all times be fenced off from the existing building and parking lot.  The traffic flow will change and the number of parking spaces will be temporarily reduced, but they will be adequate for our needs.  We have a phasing plan to ensure that we have access at all times to adequate space and facilities. We have also created a logistics subcommittee to anticipate and address issues and contingencies in order for us to continue uninterrupted normal operations while the project is underway as well as minimize the impact of construction on the needs of the community and individual members.

 

A. The new Social Hall will be a beautiful and spacious facility worthy of our most important life-cycle events. We are hoping that our members will use the Social Hall to celebrate b’nei mitzvahs, weddings and other special events. The Social Hall will be flexibly designed to accommodate events of all sizes. It will feature a pre-function foyer for cocktail parties, a bridal room and a state-of-the-art kitchen. It will open up to an inner courtyard which can be used for smaller gatherings. We will also use the Social Hall as an alternative worship space for the High Holy Days, and for a myriad of other social, community and educational activities, much the way we use our current social hall.

 

 

A. We will break ground on June 4, 2010.  Because the initial phase of construction involves heavy site work, such as excavation and paving, we will not begin work until our school year is over and there are no children in the building. We expect to complete the project 24 months after we break ground.

 

 

A. Every effort will be made to minimize disruption to our members during the construction process, in particular as it affects holiday, life cycle, and b’nei mitzvah services, and the religious and nursery school. We have hired a construction manager to assist us in phasing the project to ensure that we have access at all times to adequate space and facilities. We have also created a logistics subcommittee to anticipate and address issues and contingencies in order for us to continue normal operations while the project is underway as well as minimize the impact of construction on the needs of the community and individual members.

 

 

A: We are in the process of selecting a construction manager for the construction phase of the project.  The other members of our team of top professional consultants are:

 

 

 

A.  The final cost of the project is difficult to determine. Based on current estimates by our construction manager, the project will cost approximately $12 million. We will prepare more refined cost estimates once our architect completes the construction drawings.  Of course, what we are able to build will ultimately depend on how much money we raise. 

 

 

A. Our philosophy is to be a fair share community in which everyone contributes based on their own ability. Each family has to make that determination for itself. Imposing a required equal contribution from each family is inconsistent with that philosophy and is likely to be counterproductive. An assessment sufficient to fund the project would be beyond the means of many of our members, and it would also likely result in some families contributing less than they may have otherwise been willing to.

 

 

A. Our goal is for 100% of the members of the congregation to participate in a meaningful way. We have every reason to believe that all corners of the membership will participate to the best of their ability. As a practical matter, we are fairly certain there will be members in all groups who will be in a position to give more generously than others.

 

A. The Board of Trustees will decide how much of the building fund, if any, will be used for new construction. The Building Fund is generally used to maintain our facilities, make capital improvements and serve as a “rainy day” fund for unforeseen emergencies.

 

 

A. We are hopeful that we will be able to raise enough money to cover the cost of construction without having to borrow. If that does not happen, the Board of Trustees will consider whether to borrow money or reduce the size of the project. That discussion will take place in the next few months. However, we will need a building bridge loan to make sure we have funds available to pay for the construction costs as they are incurred.

 

 

A. Depending on how much we raise, it is our hope to be able to establish an endowment to help defray the future ongoing costs of the operation and maintenance of the new facility.