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Notes And News

January Strategic Plan Update

January 20, 2023

In the fall of 2021, the Vestry of St. Bart’s approved a strategic plan to guide the work of the parish from 2022 to 2025. The plan consists of six pillars: 1) organizational structure and efficiency, 2) financial stability and increased giving, 3) growth in membership, 4) growth in engagement, 5) the full leveraging of our building and mission-supporting activities (rentals, café, preschool, etc.) and 6) growth on digital platforms.

As part of pillar 5 regarding leveraging our building and mission-supporting activities, the Vestry articulated the need for a long-term building maintenance and improvement plan to identify the projects and funding that will ensure our beloved building remains in excellent shape and proper operation. By caring for our historic facility, we are striving to be good stewards of the St. Bart’s community for the benefit of future generations. 

The Vestry recently engaged the project & cost management firm VVA to determine the scope of building work that is necessary going forward and to provide three- and ten-year plans with budget estimates. In its report to the Vestry in late November, VVA affirmed that valuable progress has taken place in recent years thanks to the sale of Transferable Development Rights (TDRs), the capital campaign for the dome, and support from the St. Bart’s Conservancy. Over $20 million worth of work was completed on the exterior of the Community House, the North Façade, and the Great Dome as the result of funding from these sources. 

However, there is still much work left to do to ensure the long-term health of the St. Bart’s facility.  This work falls into three categories: 1) urgent needs to be completed within the next three years; 2) important projects to be completed over the next 10 years and 3) long-term work to further enhance the St. Bart’s facility.

Needs identified by VVA as urgent (to be completed within the next three years) include:

  • Partial replacement and substantial renovation of all heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
  • Partial replacement and substantial renovation of electrical systems
  • The approximate cost to bring these areas up to speed for the long term is about $5.4MM.

Needs identified by VVA as important but less urgent (to be completed within the next 10 years) include:

  • Continuation of exterior renovations, in particular, the west front and the triple portal which will be completed as funds are available is estimated to cost approximately $24MM.
  • Organ repair and refurbishment estimated to cost ~$8.1MM would be assessed on an as-needed basis and would be prioritized as funds are available
  • Upgrades to the elevator and fire protection systems are estimated at $2.9MM
  • Network and Wi-Fi improvements to support building rentals
  • Accessibility improvements

VVA also identified the following non-urgent needs that would enhance our property but would be completed when funding becomes available:

  • Renovations of the Bailey and Cheatham gardens
  • Renovations of ancillary spaces within the Community House

As you can see, significant investment is required to support, maintain and preserve St. Bart’s beautiful and historic building. Over the next ten years, close to $52MM will be either required or is desirable to ensure our facility is well-positioned and equipped to serve generations to come. And that is in addition to the approximately $600,000 required for annual routine maintenance and upkeep. We understand these are sizable costs and the Vestry has already begun the important work of exploring funding sources to support these efforts.

Download VVA Budget Summary

Possible avenues of support include contributions from members of the parish, further assistance from the St. Bart’s Conservancy, and/or the future sale of additional Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) which are a significant income stream but can be challenging to predict. In addition, we’re making a concerted effort to increase the revenue generated by our Mission Supporting Activities by increasing rental rates for the church, gym and pool, enhancing our marketing efforts to attract new business and strengthening internal systems to ensure we’re maximizing opportunities. We believe the combination of all of these efforts will position St. Bart’s well to meet the needs identified through this process. Those interested in making a financial gift to support building needs are encouraged to contact Jama Toung, Director of Stewardship and Development, at

Vestry members Tim Hook and Craig Simmons, who are also members of the Properties Committee, served as Vestry liaisons to VVA and would be happy to hear from parishioners who would like to assist with building efforts or who have further questions regarding our future plans. 

Thank you for your continued support of St. Bart’s and our commitment to preserve and enhance our majestic spiritual home well into the future.

 

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