Capital Improvement Task Force

Renovation Discernment

The Capital Improvement Task Force (formerly, the Planning Committee) renamed in October 2010 and charged with working "very closely with all relevant Committees in an iterative, transparent, and collaborative way to develop a plan to recommend to the Meeting for the construction of an elevator and other capital improvements."

In 2002, the Faith, Facilities and Financial Realities task force examined issues surrounding maintenance and possible renovations at our campus. An enormous amount of work, research, discussion, and seeking followed. With broad unity proving to be elusive, in 2008, the Meeting for Business approved the Property Committee’s tightly focused proposal that it and the Planning Committee engage architects to develop plans for an elevator and new entrance, items on which there was unity.

Shortly thereafter, the Planning Committee was formally recognized and charged with pursuing technical renovation issues and drawing together the threads of a possibly emerging consensus about a comprehensive renovation.

An extensive review process, involving the Committee, many members of the Meeting, and the firm of Quinn Evans Architects resulted in a set of recommendations that were presented to the Meeting Community for review and comment in March of 2010.

The Planning Committee revised it's recommendations to take into account comments and input that it has received, and in October 2010 the committee acquired new members and a new name.  As the Capital Improvements Task Force, the committee will continue to work with other committees and the Meeting Community to resolve differences on several important issues and find consensus on the outlines off a plan for construction of an elevator and other high-priority capital improvements that will be the focus of a major fund-raising capital campaign.

The following documents are provided to assist Friends in reviewing and familiarizing themselves with the history and background of the Meetings discernment around renovation issues.  Friends who anticipate being present for the anticipated worship sharing around these issues are encouraged to review these documents as time perrmits.

In particular, note the nine-year compilation of minutes and related documents, drawn from Meeting newsletters and assembled and edited by Marcia Reecer, Sabrina McCarthy, David Etheridge, and Sara Satterthwaite.

Since it's formation in October 2010, CITF has been meeting twice a month.  In June 2011, the Task Force published a summary report of its discernment to that point and began the process of re-engaging the architects in the design effort:

  • June 2011 - Capital Improvement Task Force Update

In February 2012, the Meeting approved funds for further architectural study and costing.

After extensive negotiations and consideration, the Task Force, in March, engaged Lippincott Architects, to work with us in cooperation with an architect and engineering firm, Gauthier Alvarado Associates to provide costs and architectural study of a design for an addition to provide elevator accessibility to all of our buildings, as outlined in the above CITF update.

In May, the architects (LGA) provided the first rough skteches of possible schemes and in June we further refined the draft design concept, and they provided a professional estimate that  the total project cost of this design would probably not exceed $1.8 million.

Based on this draft, LGA sought preliminary review from the DC Historic Preservation Review Board staff and other DC permitting authorities and reported that we seem to be OK as regards regulatory issues.

In July, the Meeting for Business approved fundraising and continued design development of an elevator addition and related improvements, based on a project cost estimate of $1.8 million. 

The concept includes a major reconfiguration of the west garden area to provide level and wheelchair-accessible gathering space connected to the Assembly Room by new French Doors.

In July 2012 the Meeting also approved spending up to $50,000 on the first phase (Schematic Design) of design work.  The architects drafted a $216,000 Design Contract which was signed in late September, after some revisions requested by the Task force and Trustees.  The Schematic Design work began in October.

The Task Force, continued to meet irregularly through early 2015 to work with the architects on development of the the detailed design plans, and the few remaining members met occasionally with Trustees about financing issues.  The two co-Clerks and the Property Manager continued to provide Meeting liaison with the architects and, later, the contractor through the beginning of construction work in mid-2018.