WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

Category Comment FrequencyCost Using a consultant to guide us through the financial process

is a good idea

Cost We are graced by Heather’s gift

Cost All planning ideas ought to have a cost estimate with them. Cost is not something that can be left to the end. It should be the first item to steer and constrain the design.[I] don’t want to be locked into a plan without knowing a firm cost.I do not see the restrooms improvements and possibly the breezeway enclosure in the budget at this time.   All the preliminary work that I list above will take a good chunk of your budget. More than you think! And this doesn’t even consider the basic needed maintenance on the Blue House.Nevertheless I have included my thoughts/ideas on a future breezeway remodel with following sketch. (A)

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Cost Everything we’ve needed has always cost more than what we had.  With every building we’ve been able to find the funding. It’s always worked out.  We’ve looked to the future, we’ve planned for the future – we need it [the changes and repairs outlined by Facilities Task Force 2.0].

Current Design:

There was a great deal of difficulty getting a casket into the Sanctuary for a funeral recently.  Please consider this when planning a new entrance/exit.If we return to the way the pews were originally aligned in the Sanctuary, we could add more pews and therefore more seating.

Facilities Conceptual

Layout

Make windows on the street side of the welcome center resemble those of HH

Facilities Conceptual

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Recommended Option is too much, too massive a change as it ruins the symmetry of the sanctuary by moving the breezeway enclosure South

Facilities Conceptual

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WINDOWSDislike moving the stain glass windows.

Please do not take out sanctuary stained glass window

I’m a fan of the stain glass window [that is proposed to be moved].

There are only two stain glass windows on the east side so moving one would change the

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WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

lighting and the feel of the Sanctuary.Note from the COP Team:  There are four windows, three in the Sanctuary and one in the Library.

Facilities Conceptual

Layout

Prefer to only enclose the original breezeway, enclose the kitchen Door/hallway, plus expand the restrooms

Facilities Conceptual

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DOORSNorth side having two sets of double doors seems to impede traffic flow; seems excessive and expensive.

Facilities Conceptual

Layout

Here is the history why the entry door is the way it currently is.  Since the sanctuary did not have a fire sprinkler system, Heritage Hall was allowed to be built with a 20-foot separation (creating the breezeway) and the wall facing the sanctuary is constructed as a 2-hour fire rated wall with fire rated metal doors.  The sanctuary could not have a door facing Heritage Hall so the door is around the corner facing south. (Don’t ask me why they let the stain glass window remain in the library!)

Facilities Conceptual

Layout

The International Building Code requires all doors to have a level landing on both sides of them.  The sloped nave inside the church creates a problem meeting this requirement. The idea of inserting any size door becomes a complicated problem quickly in meeting this code requirement.  You have to build a level landing that then makes a compound slope into a sloping floor. This in itself becomes a hazard for walkers and wheelchairs. The cost and end effect is not worth the effort.  It would look like a band aid and would not flow naturally. Additionally seating is lost.

Facilities Conceptual

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NORTH SIDE RAMP Entrance and egress ought to be redesigned to flow as a primary route of travel with a large wrap-around landing at the floor level.The casket story was a great reminder of why meeting the building code minimums don’t always work.

I do not believe the new North stair and sidewalk proposal would need to eliminate the existing ADA stalls-just move the stalls out North into the parking circulation.  This may provide traffic calming and need further study.

Facilities Conceptual

Layout

CHANCEL LIFTThe Oak Harbor Building Official told me (when he and I met in the sanctuary) that we must add a lift to make the chancel accessible and safer.

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WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

I propose a small stair along with the lift in the room West of the chancel.  The door would need to be replaced by a 36” wide door and flip the swing.

Facilities Conceptual

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Do not eliminate a pew. We cannot afford to eliminate a pew 2

Facilities Conceptual

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Modify scheme 2 and 3 Combine the three options. 2

Facilities Conceptual

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Add a shower. Please consider adding a shower; boys need it, girls want it.  [The speaker was referring to youth group overnights]. 

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Facilities Conceptual

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The “main entrance” to the welcome center is on the back of the building … parking lot

Facilities Conceptual

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Cover ramp the stairwell with a roofI appreciate the option that includes improvements to the ramp.

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Facilities Conceptual

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I don’t believe we need a fireplace or a coffee bar. Fireplace and coffee bar in lounge are an unnecessary expenses and it would require ongoing maintenance and encourage people to take coffee into sanctuary

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Facilities Conceptual

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I agree we don’t need an elevator to the storage area and steps would be good.

Facilities Conceptual

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Not sure the expense of a tunnel between Fellowship Hall and HH is warranted

Facilities Conceptual

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There is not enough room to move a pew into the space where the storage cabinet is currently located

Facilities Conceptual

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The east exit from the Sanctuary (through the Lounge/Library) should be minimum door width of 36”. See drawing (B)

Facilities Conceptual

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Like the North entry , and enlarged restrooms and their accessibility from entry

Facilities Conceptual

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Impressed by Architect’s rendering of South elevation and how it ties to sanctuary building and HH

Facilities Conceptual

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At a church I visited, the welcome center was being used by other groups at the time of my visit.  As those attending the memorial service arrived, they were

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WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

greeted by those already there. I love that feeling; when you proceed into the Sanctuary, you’ve already begun worshipping.

Facilities Conceptual

Layout

We love the welcome center and entry recommended except:The entry from the welcome center needs a better design because of the sloped floors. Perhaps the current door from the Library/hallway could be widened and continue to serve as entry to Sanctuary.

It sounds like we need a bigger entrance into the welcome center/Sanctuary to not have to deal with the sloping floor.

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Facilities Conceptual

Layout

Could the new welcome center be reduced in size more resembling the layout shown in scheme 2.

Facilities Conceptual

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As a musician, I appreciate that you’ve looked at moving instruments to make them look balanced and so the musicians can see each other. 

About the organ situation:  It’s not ideal. We don’t have an organist currently, this instrument takes a lot of room, and it wasn’t being used.  The organ is on an umbilical so it can be moved forward [closer to the pews].

We need to get rid of the organ and replace it with a smaller and up-to-date instrument.

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Improvements

Priority

There appears to be omissions in the original recommendations to Task Force 2 based on assessments 1-5 (page 1 of handout distributed at Congregational Meeting June 16, 2019). Fundamental repairs to our facilities are not included in the charge to TF 2. These include, water intrusion, sewer issues in the basement of our sanctuary and electrical updates to our buildings.I would like these repairs, along with safety improvements to be the primary   focus of work to be done.  I would like analysis and bids from contractors for this work before delegating funds for any other additions or improvements to our facilities.Thank you for your work.

Infrastructure AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM  a. This has always been our WPC roadblock for any major

improvements as the City of Oak Harbor’s Building Official and Fire Marshal have sighted codes requiring the fire sprinkler system.

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WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

b. We will need to bring the water over from the fire riser room which is under the stairs in Heritage Hall.

c. We can take advantage of the planning from a previous congregation (40 years ago +/-) who prepared for a tunnel tying Heritage Hall to the Sanctuary.  Under the breezeway concrete slab is sand fill for easy excavation for the tunnel. This would finally make our whole facility basement accessible and provide an excellent route for the fire sprinkler water line.

Infrastructure While we have the excavation equipment and in preparation for a new North stair and breezeway enclosure, we ought to eliminate the water leaking along the North wall of the basement.  This also removes the failing concrete stair to the basement kitchen that catches Garry Oak leaves every year. This stair is not a required exit stair.

Infrastructure Installing the fire sprinkler system will require added electrical alarms and monitors. The whole sanctuary electrical wiring that is old knob and tube should be replaced.  The old knob and tube system does not have a ground. The wires if knocked can lose the outer insulation coating and become a fire hazard. Insulation can catch on fire. The church has been replacing the fuse boxes, which may be all replaced by now with circuit breakers. As we look to hand off to future generations, we need to preserve the Sanctuary by updating the electrical system and the plumbing, repair the foundation, and add sprinklers.We are focused on making the Sanctuary as safe as possible.

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Infrastructure Insulate the whole sanctuary.  We have been heating the atmosphere forever.   The brown arched frames we see looking up at the ceiling are made with fabric.  You can see right down into the nave while standing in the sanctuary attic. Insulation would pay for itself over time and Puget Power has programs that can help pay for insulating our sanctuary.

Infrastructure The mechanical system needs to be upgraded.  The furnace will need testing for balancing supply and return air after new insulation and weatherizing the sanctuary.  Replacing the furnace would be appropriate at this time. I do not know the age of our furnace.

Infrastructure Congregation members sitting in the mezzanine have the need for comfort during hot days.  Adding insulation may further the need for adding a large ceiling fan in the balcony.

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WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

Infrastructure  When I was on Session, we heard a lot for a while about the sewer line, that it was old, and that it probably needed replacing.  I heard some about the line with the recommendations from Facilities Task Force 2.0 but nothing specific is in the cost projection.  Session:  Please consider having the sewer line or lines evaluated and replaced as necessary should all or some of the recommendations be approved.

Infrastructure I’m confused about the north wall seeping.  I understood that it was a very intermittent problem so I thought that we had decided to mop as necessary.  I understood that the problem is the plumbing and the cast iron sewer piping.The north wall [of Fellowship Hall] is sand and the contractor would not guarantee the work unless he worked on all of the foundation for $50,000.

I hope that we replace the sewer piping.  Note: It costs about $200 for the plumber to clear this pipe and they typically find that the block is composed of baby wipes.

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Process This is the process of discerning, there may be a time to ponder other things.  I hope that we are including things that need to be here and are valuable.

[I would like to see] this be a deliberative and slow process.

[The Sanctuary] is part of the history of Oak Harbor, so take it slowly and maintain beauty; this is so worshipful; very difficult process.

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WPC Facilities Project

COMMENTS as of 6/29/19

Ledesky Layout A above - Waite Layout B below

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