Hi Friends!
On behalf of the building implementation committee (BIC) of Autumn Ridge Church, welcome to the CENTER blog. This is intended to be a convenient online site for sharing information and responding to questions. The other major online resource is the CENTER website at:
http://autumnridgechurch.org/center.html
The goal of these online communication tools is to provide the congregation at Autumn Ridge with information needed to decide how best to invest in the CENTER.
The CENTER at Autumn Ridge is the congregation’s phase 2 addition to better serve our guests and the community through multi-purpose recreation, greeting and education space.
The current $2.65M construction phase will complete only the multipurpose room and lobby, leaving the education wing (two levels of classrooms) and the service wing (storage, changing rooms, kitchen) for later. Generous pledges will provide all of the $2.65M over three years, so this building phase will involve no debt.
Estimated costs to completely finish the CENTER are now available, indicating that completion of the entire project is within reach if the congregation chooses to provide additional money, perhaps by extending the three-year sharing Hope initiative into a fourth year. It is important to consider this opportunity because cost savings could exceed $100,000 if construction to complete the CENTER is undertaken now while the contractors are on site.
Considering CENTER Completion Options
The congregation may choose to leave the CENTER unfinished as originally planned.
The following information may be helpful in considering further completion of the CENTER:
Option 1. Prepare education wing structure now: $90,000
Option 2. Prepare service wing structure now: $50,000
Option 3. Complete education wing using commercial contractors: $315,000*
Option 4. Complete education wing using Autumn Ridge volunteers: $150,000*
Option 5. Complete service wing with commercial contractors: $150,000*
Option 6. Complete service wing with Autumn Ridge volunteers: $80,000*
(*would first need to pay for option 1 and/or option 2.)
To put these six options into perspective, the following totals express these costs in terms of the number of added months of giving required if the sharing Hope initiative were extended into a fourth year at the current giving rate:
Prepare all remaining structure now: $140,000 (2 months extra giving)
Commercial completion of project*: $465,000 (7.5 months extra giving)
Volunteer completion of project*: $230,000 (3.7 months extra giving)
(*would first need to pay $140,000 to prepare all remaining structure)
So these are the facts. The congregation is being asked to reflect on these facts and pray for wisdom.
Should we stick with the original plan, invest $2.65M over three years and use the CENTER multi-purpose room and lobby, but leave education and service spaces unfinished? This will require a later construction phase to add heating and air conditioning, pour more concrete floors, and add more infrastructure before church volunteers or professionals could complete the project.
Should we extend the sharing HOPE initiative by asking if some who made 3-year commitments would be willing to extend for some additional months?
Should we provide an opportunity for those not yet involved in sharing HOPE to sign on and help toward completion of the CENTER?
If we as a congregation determine to vote on extending the giving, we then would have an opportunity to pledge toward enhanced giving beyond the original 3-year plan. If such new pledges were made, BIC would then proceed with construction completion using the pledged funds to go as far as possible, again incurring no debt.
What do you think? Please post your thoughts and opinions, questions and concerns. Just reply to this post, and we'll discuss this opportunity together.
I think it's really exciting that, through God's providence, we're even able to have this discussion and take this matter/opportunity before the Lord!
ReplyDeleteHi Jim,
ReplyDeleteEvery week Joan and I look with wonder at what's been accomplished in spite of harsh weather. I know what it takes and deeply appreciate all you're doing as our leader. Thank you so much.
I'm all thumbs when it comes to blogs. Made several attempts this morning but lost the message repeatedly, so I'll go the old fashioned way. Please feel free to share this email message with as wide an audience as you deem appropriate. I'd really like to ship these sentiments to all members/friends of ARC but don't know how.
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW.
We're blessed with a generous congregation, with a wonderfully talented pastoral team and with a wise, well-qualified Elder Board. We're blessed with a hard working, insightful, experienced Building Implementation Committee. Perhaps most importantly, we're blessed with a unity of purpose. We need and want to make THE CENTER a reality.
I love the slogan "It's not for us." Our community has many needs. THE CENTER at Autumn Ridge will be an important resource in meeting some of these needs, especially the needs of young people who need to experience the love and forgiveness of the Dear Savior. THE CENTER will also be a great help in providing much-needed facilities for our own members and friends.
Joan and I strongly believe the Sharing Hope giving campaign needs to be extended. We are more than willing to continue our giving until THE CENTER is complete in every detail. And we'd like that to happen as soon as possible.
We know Autumn Ridge has many lay people and professionals who might volunteer to help with completion. But we believe the wiser and more expeditious approach is to continue down the path we're on, working with people who have the detailed knowledge, equipment and the momentum that has exceeded our expectations.
God has called us to create this vital extension of our ministries. Let's move forward in faith and with a sense of urgency, thankfulness and expectation.
Joan and Dave Swanson
I think it would be good to complete the center early; especially the education wing w/option 4. It would be nice to be able to make the move from Bamber Valley to ARC on Wednesday night for the HS/MS. It would save money and make it more convenient for families.
ReplyDeleteDave Verburg
I have a few questions regarding the construction options listed above.
ReplyDeleteFirst,
Who came up with the cost basis estimates?
How did they come up with them?
Secondly,
How will this be managed with an all volunteer workforce?
What will be the process for recruiting and selection of the various trades, and or volunteers? An overview of this plan would be beneficial.
And, is Knutson Construction going to finish Opt 1 and/or Opt 2, so that we can proceed?
I look forward to your response.
Robert Nickelson Jr
Thanks for your comment and questions! The construction options were estimated by Lloyd Johnson, BIC member and project manager for the CENTER. Cost estimates were based on prior bids and standard construction costs per square foot. Prior bids are available because the CENTER project was originally bid out as a base bid plus a series of alternates, some of which were accepted, and some of which were deferred. Actual completion costs (rather than estimates) will be determined by competitive bidding. The current proposal (options 1+2+4+6) is to use commercial labor to complete all infrastructure (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, concrete, fire control) that cannot be implemented by church volunteers. This will complete all aspects of multi-purpose room, lobby, mezzanine and connection to existing high school room, the service wing (kitchen utilities but not fit-up), lower level of education as a single large classroom, and upper level of education as open space. This approach would allow future volunteer labor to install stud walls, dry wall, ceilings, floor covering, and paint, as desired. Coordination of this kind of construction has been done before, as was the case for completion of the backstage office area of the current building. The construction by owner is limited to studs, light carpentry, painting, and light fit-up. This work could be delayed indefinitely after commercial construction while the space is fully occupied, or could be done as soon as resources and volunteers allow. The strategy is to rely on commercial labor to provide completion of the CENTER so that all areas can be occupied, with later fit-up as the congregation needs the space, within available budget resources. Giving over and above these needs will be designated toward furnishing key areas, landscaping, and exterior playground. Further giving over and above these needs could be designated to reduction of the overall existing church mortgage.
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify,this means that Knutson construction is completing Option 1 and 2 while on-site?
ReplyDeleteMy next question is, when and how can we review the cost breakdowns of the remaining options?
Thanks for your timely response.
Robert Nickelson Jr
Thanks for the follow-up. To answer your questions, the congregation will be voting this weekend (March 26-27) on whether to proceed with accepting additional pledges toward completion of the CENTER. This short additional capital initiative (extending the giving period from April 30, 2013 to Dec 31, 2013) would be called Sharing HOPE II, and if the congregation endorses the recommendation of this board, new pledge cards will be received April 9 and 10. It is the total of these additional pledges (8 months of additional giving for those already participating in Sharing HOPE, new one-time gifts, new opportunities for participation in the remaining 32 months for those not yet giving) that will determine if options 1+2 will be completed by Knutson Construction Services while they are still on site this spring, saving resources. Thus, the plan for completion depends on the new funds (over and above the original $2.65 M already pledged) that become available. Without new pledges, we stop CENTER construction at the $2.65 M budget and leave education and service wings incomplete and not available for use, as was the original plan. At the point where the congregation has voted to raise funds to complete the project, completion plans from the architect (being completed this week) will be used to finalize invited completion bids (options 1+2) from current commercial partners. Bids will be extended to additional participants, as needed, to obtain competitive prices. Bids for completion of the CENTER will then be reviewed and awarded, and completion will be undertaken within the new budget target. The commercial phase of construction would be complete in late spring. As funds allow, completion of commercial aspects of landscaping and playground would be undertaken. We expect that bid reviews for completion of the remaining commercial work could be undertaken about the same time as the congregational Sharing HOPE II pledge total becomes available (mid-April) if the additional pledge phase is approved. Thanks for the questions.
ReplyDeleteJim, thank's for all the time and detail you have put in the previous responses. As you may of gathered I like specifics, along with straight answers.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for a direct answer. When the congregation was approached for additional funding it was assumed (by many) that our orginal contractor(Knutson const) would be completing such work and now I'm confused.
After reading "completion plans from the architect will be used to finalize invited completion bids (options 1 & 2) from current commercial partners".
This looks like there was a solitication of additional bids (after the fact) for another general contractor. This has raised another concern, just who exactly are in the bidding pool?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this project. And from a design stand point you and your team did a remarkable job. My concerns are with process and transparency. I would like to know specifically who are the current "commercial partners", if it is not garanteed that Knutson const is completing the project.
Thanks for your continued dialogue.
Robert A Nickelson Jr
Happy to respond. Thank you for the follow-up and I apologize for any confusion. Let me explain a bit further. If the congregation votes to raise funds to complete the CENTER, this creates an opportunity to finish the work now, without vacating the construction site and then returning later. Not only would this make the CENTER available sooner, it would save costs associated with terminating and restarting construction, and it could avoid inflation costs associated with future construction as time passes. On the other hand, BIC feels that it is important to maintain an environment where excellent construction prices are achieved during the completion phase. Value is traditionally assured by competitive bidding for new work. In the case of the CENTER, the current project subcontracts were awarded by competitive bidding, and an excellent team was assembled. Our first choice will be to have these team members quote the costs for their companies to finish their respective tasks for the remainder of the work as outlined in the new Kane & Johnson construction documents for CENTER completion. There would obviously be no changes in any of the contracts for current work- this discussion involves only the costs for the new work to finish the CENTER. If all current subcontractors provide cost estimates for CENTER completion that appear competitive and reasonable, great. Our point is only that BIC reserves the right to ask for multiple bidders for aspects of the completion work if completion estimates seem high. What BIC is trying to avoid is a situation where the entire completion of the CENTER is seen as a single large change order with no pressure for competitive pricing. In large part we will simply need to trust the professionalism of our construction partners, especially since it would not make sense to use a different general contractor for CENTER completion. It also seems most likely that the best completion price estimates will come from subcontractors already involved in the project. We anticipate that this will be how the CENTER is completed- by the existing team. My response above was simply to point out that BIC will be counting on reasonable prices for the completion phase of the CENTER, just as has been the case for the initial phase. This is our responsibility to the congregation and could possibly lead to some sub-contracts for the completion phase being awarded after competitive bidding. Thanks so much for your thoughtful questions and comments.
ReplyDelete