 |
|
 |
|
January 2009 Update
The Advent and Christmas season were very busy here at Christ and St. Luke’s. There were many glorious liturgies and program offerings to prepare and celebrate the coming of the Incarnate Lord into the world. In the midst of the business of that Holy season, I was remiss in not giving you any updates regarding the Heritage Campaign. Let me get you up to date.
At the September 2008 vestry meeting your Vestry agreed to accept the recommendations of the Episcopal Church Foundation to proceed with a new capital campaign to raise funds to continue a phased building plan. At our October 26, 2008 Annual Parish meeting Mr. Glen Holliman, Vice President for giving services of the Episcopal Church Foundation reviewed with the congregation the findings of the essential survey and rationale for their recommendations.
The Vestry at its October 27, 2008 meeting agreed to proceed with the preparation for such a campaign. This decision was made in light of the ever worsening economic news. The vestry’s decision was based on the reality that it would take several months to complete such preparations. This preparation time would afford us the opportunity to re-evaluate the efficacy of launching a campaign in whatever economic climate presented itself when preparations were ready.
Preparations have been slow but judicious. A comprehensive plan for refurbishing and renovating the Church proper and Parish House is contingent on a conditions survey currently being conducted by RRMM Architects. This survey will inform us of the action plan and funding requirements for that phase.
The rebuilding of the Guild House will begin when enough funds are available to complete the project without carrying unmanageable debt. This is contingent on the completion of the capital campaign.
Your vestry will continue to move judiciously in this climate of economic uncertainty and keep you informed of our progress. Please continue to keep Christ and St. Luke’s in your prayers as we endeavor to move forward with our mission and ministry.
October Update
At the City Council Hearing, Tuesday, October 7, 2008, The City Council unanimously approved an amended recommendation by the Planning Commision to change language in regulations concerning height restrictions and methodologies of obtaining certificate’s of appropriateness for height exceptions in historic districts.
The regulation established 35 feet as the maximum height of new construction in the districts and allows for certificates of appropriateness to be obtained through special exception process.
Christ and St. Luke’s is in favor of this amendment. The 35 foot height limit is a restriction on our building plans. However, the certificate of appropriateness and special exception process reconfirms our efforts with the city which has already issued to us a certificate of appropriateness.
It remains to be seen how this new ordinance will affect the pending lawsuit, Owens vs. The City of Norfolk.
We will continue to cooperate with the City of Norfolk and the Ghent neighborhood in every way possible to bring about a successful building project.
June Update
In a court hearing yesterday, Circuit Court Judge Norman Thomas released Christ & St. Luke's from being joined as a party to the lawsuit of Anne Owens against the City of Norfolk in which Ms. Owens seeks to invalidate the city's approval of the third phase of our building project, the Education & Fellowship Wing. The judge had previously ordered Mrs. Owens to add the church as a defendant in lawsuit. This is a positive step for the church, as it will mitigate our legal expenses. The judge also ordered that the current injunction against proceeding with our third phase of building be extended until the court trial date of October 14, 2008.
Lastly, the judge clarified that the proceedings against the City of Norfolk do NOT affect our plans to move forward with the first phase of our building program. Specifically, there is no legal obstacle to obtain permits to demolish the Boissevain apartments or to build the Guild House on this site.
We will continue to keep you posted on any additional news regarding our building program as it becomes available.
May Update
The City of Norfolk Planning Commission has applied for a change in the Zoning Ordinance governing height restrictions in the historic districts of Freemason and Ghent. Specifically, the proposed amendment would eliminate the language establishing minimum and maximum heights (currently 25’ and 35’, respectively) and would allow the height to be determined by the Certificate of Appropriateness upon review of existing conditions, relationships to adjacent buildings and open space, protection of views, or similar considerations including architectural compatibility with the historic landmarks, buildings or structures in the district.
The Ghent Neighborhood league met Monday May 19, 2008 and this topic was added to their agenda. A representative from the City, Mr. Lenny Newcomb, explained to the Ghent Neighborhood League the City’s rationale. Unfortunately the majority of the 35 – 40 people present at the Ghent Neighborhood League meeting were strongly in opposition to this change; moreover, they characterized this as a Christ and St. Luke’s action.
This accusation is untrue. This is solely an action of the City of Norfolk Planning Commission and the Planning Department. Christ and St. Luke’s had no part in the planning commission’s decision to ask for this amendment. In fact we were not even aware of it until approximately 2:45 PM, Monday, May 19, 2008. A Ghent resident who is a parishioner was emailed a copy of the City notice by way of the Ghent Neighborhood League and it was subsequently forwarded to us.
It is not clear to us at this time what the ramifications for our Building Project will be if this amendment is adopted by City Council. Our legal counsel has advised us to continue cooperating with the City of Norfolk in every aspect of the Building Permitting process and we will continue to do so.
Should you wish to attend to learn more about this issue, the Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing today, Thursday May 22, 2008 at 2:30 PM in the Eleventh Floor hearing Room of the City Office Building.
April Update
Legal Matters
As reported earlier, Christ and St. Luke’s was awaiting the decision of Ms. Anne Owens regarding her intention to make us party to her suit against the City of Norfolk. Ms. Owens did in fact petition the court to enjoin us to the suit. We have filed a motion with the court to Quash her request. We await the court setting a date for a hearing on our motion. We will keep you posted. In the meantime we will continue working with the city to move forward with our building plans.
The Empty Lot
The current plan for the space which was occupied by the Guild House is to install sod and planting beds for flowers. It is hoped that the flowers we grow on site will adorn our altars in the church.
Focus Group
On Monday, April 14, 2008, seventeen parishioners from various backgrounds and tenure at Christ and St. Luke’s Church met as a focus group to discuss their cares and concerns for the restart of the 2nd Century building project.
Issues for discussion were: accurate and timely communications regarding the restructuring of the 2nd Century committee and phasing of the building project, the collection of existing pledges, and the sources of funding for each building phase.
Our invited guest was Glenn Holliman, Vice President of Giving Services for The Episcopal Church Foundation. Mr. Holliman presented to the group an outline of the next steps he recommended for proceeding with the funding portion of the project. He recommended the parish engage in an essential survey to assess the current and future status of the pledged income. The survey would ask critical questions regarding the same issues the focus group discussed.
The focus group believes the data from the essential survey would be of significant importance to the parish and vestry in making critical decisions about the timeline for the construction project. There was a consensus among the group to recommend to the Vestry that Christ and St. Luke’s Church employ the services of Mr. Holliman to guide us in this critical discernment study.
Each member of the focus group will be contacted by Berkley to see if they wish to continue in the work of the survey and funding committee. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Guild House begins its rebirth!
Architect's rendering of the "reborn" Guild House, as it will appear reassembled.
The most recent newspaper articles and television coverage about our building project are in response to an opinion written by Judge Norman Thomas concerning the lawsuit, "Anne Owens v The City Council of Norfolk". This opinion was dated Friday, March 7, 2008.
Christ and St. Luke's was not a party to this suit and thus Judge Thomas did not directly inform us of his opinion nor did the judge's office forward a copy of his opinion to us. We were not aware that his opinion was rendered until Monday, March 10, 2008. It is unfortunate that we were not able to prepare the congregation at our worship services March 9, 2008 for the next round of press coverage.
The judge's order for a preliminary injunction included a requirement that Christ and St. Luke's be made a party to the suit within 21 days or the case will be dismissed. We are awaiting the action of plaintiff, Anne Owens in this regard.
In the meantime work on the Guild House project will continue and we will continue to cooperate with the City of Norfolk in our efforts to have a building program that meets the needs of our mission and vision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Building Campaign?
Christ and St. Luke's has planned and begun construction on new Education and Program space to better serve and meet our current and future needs. The current facilities are not easily accessible, in poor repair and lack sufficient space. The Church will also receive needed refurbishment.
What are all the lawsuits about?
A few area residents do not like the design of our buildings and also claim the Guild House was an historic structure that needed to be preserved. They have chosen litigation as the means to prevent us from moving forward with our plans.
Are there misperceptions about the building program?
Yes. Some are as follows, all of which are false:
o Christ and St, Luke's is in collusion with the City of Norfolk to destroy historic properties.
o There was a viable alternative building plan that would meet our needs.
o The Guild House was structurally sound and could be renovated to meet our institutional needs.
o The lawsuit "Anne Owens v City Council" was about our permission to demolish and rebuild the Guild House.
o What Christ and St. Luke's is doing is illegal
What are the facts?
o Christ and St. Luke's made many offers to work with the "preservationists" to preserve the Guild House. The preservationists rejected any offer. The City of Norfolk brokered the compromise of replicating the Guild House on the Boissevain site. Despite considerable negative economic impact, Christ and St. Luke's agreed to this plan and we will honor our commitment.
o Though often discussed, alternative building plans that incorporated Guild House renovation and utilizing the basements of Lloyd Hall and Parish House were both environmentally unsafe and economically infeasible based on engineering reports.
o Engineering reports deemed moving the Guild House and/or renovating it in place is economically infeasible for our institutional use.
o "Anne Owens v. City Council" was about the legality of the City to grant a "Certificate of Appropriateness" for our Education and Program wing that would replace Lloyd Hall.
o Christ and St. Luke's has been diligent in all aspects of the design and construction processes to comply with all City ordinances and regulations.
When will the Guild House be rebuilt and what will it look like?
The Guild house will be an exact replica of the old Guild House. Great care was taken to photo document its architectural features to ensure exact replication. Architectural components, which could be salvaged, will be reincorporated. We hope to have the Guild House reconstructed by fall of 2009. (pictured above)
How will the Guild House be used?
The Guild House will contain new office space, conference rooms and youth groups suite. We will utilize these spaces while the Parish House and new Education wing are being renovated and constructed.
What other projects are planned?
The building program will be phased. Phase one is the Guild House. Phase two is the renovation to the Parish House and restoration of the Sanctuary. Phase three is the construction of the Education wing. Timing for these phases will dependent on funding and successful completion of each phase in turn. Phase one has already begun.
What can I do to help?
Remain steadfast in prayer for all parties involved in the project. Pray for our opponents as well. Remain calm in the face of misperceptions and get the facts from the communications committee of the building program. They are Berkley Ford, Andria McClellan and David Phillips. View our website often and inquire at info.csl@verizon.net or directly to the parish office.
Peace,
Berkley Ford & Joyce Wood
Rector Senior Warden
Visit this page frequently for updates on the Building Program.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
ESSENTIAL SURVEY RESULTS ARE HERE
September 17, 2008
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Throughout the summer of 2008, The Episcopal Church Foundation conducted an essential survey for Christ and St. Luke’s Parish to determine the mindset of the congregation regarding our ongoing building project, the reliability of outstanding pledges to the Second Century Campaign, and the possibility of beginning an additional capital funding campaign called the Heritage Campaign. The congregation was invited to participate through the use of a written document that set forth the history of the project and proposed phased future building plans, personal interviews, and a questionnaire.
The Episcopal Church Foundation has compiled the data and published its finding and recommendations. The Vestry and members of the newly formed Heritage Campaign met with Glenn Holliman and Eleanor Weis from the Foundation on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 to receive the report and executive summary. Your Vestry and Clergy agreed to make the report available to the congregation without delay in its entirety. This report can be found on our website,click here /CSL-Web/Portals/57ad7180-c5e7-49f5-b282-c6475cdb7ee7/Essential Survey Results.doc and hard copies can be supplied through the parish office.
Of particular note is, each and every comment offered by the respondents is published. Editing was done for clarity of expression only. No content was changed. In some instances the opinions expressed by respondents may have been formed based on factual errors such as inaccurate budget or spending data. If you are in doubt about any such issue, please contact the business office, and we will be pleased to clarity any confusion with timely and accurate data.
Your Vestry is reviewing the report and will be judiciously considering our next steps based on the recommendations of the report. We invite you to attend our annual Parish Meeting scheduled for October 26, 2008 immediately following the 10:15 p.m. Worship Service. At this meeting Glenn Holliman from The Episcopal Church Foundation will present the findings and recommendations. Your Vestry will be attentive to your responses.
I ask that you prayerfully consider the information contained with the report and your participation in moving our building projects forward.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
The Rev. C. Berkley Ford
Rector |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|