The Capital Campaign team and our consultant Kay Crider met with church leadership, staff, volunteers, and others who use our building to envision the revitalization and renewal of our beloved physical space. We are excited to present this list of the most substantial items.

Inclusion Begins with Safety and Comfort

• Eliminate tripping hazards by replacing the wrinkled, worn carpet in the sanctuary. Of course, the labyrinth will still be at the center!
• Add a security system that will prevent intrusions into and around the building and improve safety for our staff, Third Street Community Center staff, and the children they serve. This may include cameras, electronic card-key locks, window and door sensors, and improved fencing.
• Renovate the main floor bathroom for water conservation and greater comfort by installing a more water-efficient toilet, a baby-changing station, and upgraded cabinets.
• Replace worn-out flooring in the back hallway.

Save Our Space

• Protect and preserve our church home by replacing the leaking roof and the inadequate gutter system. Roof tiles have blown off resulting in leaks that have already damaged ceilings and interior walls. The roof project is overdue. The good news is that advancements in roofing materials mean a new roof should last at least 50 years.
• Protect and preserve our beautiful stained glass windows–a major feature of our historic church–by repairing wood rot in the frames of the windows. At the same time we will repair extensive rot under the roof eaves and around our steeple and dome.
• Improve our welcome to visitors and help protect our main entrance by restoring the historic front doors. Our restorer can keep the look that goes with our landmark building but make them beautiful and functional again, at a price comparable to replacing them.
• Preserve the integrity of our historic structure by painting the exterior, which has not been done in 40 years or more–not even after The Fire. Since scaffolding is a large portion of the cost for the roof and the window work, painting the walls while we have the scaffolding in place is an essential fiscal decision.
• Repair damage to the chancel caused by previous leaks in the roof.

21st Century Church and Community Hub

• Create dynamic, 21st century worship services with a modern audio/visual system. Displaying videos, images, text, and lyrics, as we have done during Zoom services, will fully engage all those who attend, whether in person or virtually. Multi-platform services, which the UUA confirms are here to stay, will help us expand our reach and allow people at home–wherever they live–to be a vital part of worship. Improved microphones, speakers, and audio assistance devices will enhance accessibility for those with hearing challenges. Modern AV capabilities will make our space more attractive to community groups and renters. A permanent screen and built-in cabling will reduce the work by our outstanding tech crew.
• Enable more comfortable, flexible seating arrangements for everyone by replacing the sanctuary seating with individual upholstered chairs, including some designed for those with differing physical needs. New ergonomic chairs will eliminate the maintenance challenge of the antique wooden theater-style seating while allowing us to continue the semi-circular arrangement of seating for worship and giving renters more options.
• Refurbish the youth room, including removing the damaged furniture and rugs, repairing and repainting the walls, installing new carpeting, and obtaining durable, functional furniture.

Costs

Due to the rapid escalation of construction costs in the Bay Area, previous cost estimates are no longer reliable. Once the costs of the essential exterior repairs are known, we will obtain proposals for the other projects. Once the exterior work is completed and paid for (we hope with no surprises!), we will determine which additional projects we can undertake.