Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Building Committee Update

February 2007

January was a very good month for our facilities improvement project at Good Shepherd. Although only a few people attended the neighborhood information session, no serious objections were raised about our building project. A final site plan, more detailed floor plans, and colored drawings that show how our new facilities will look from the outside were presented to the congregation. The City of Gaithersburg Planning Commission unanimously approved our site plan. We are very grateful for the excellent support provided by the G-burg Planning and Code Administration Staff in preparation for this hearing.

Total Construction Services and our architect are busy developing construction drawings. The building committee is working with the organ mover and selecting the stained glass company that will move existing and supply new stained glass windows. Congregational leaders are laying plans to keep all of our ministry programs available during construction. If permitting proceeds smoothly, construction could begin as early as June 2007, just 5 months away!

The theme of our building project is “Growing in Ministry, Building to Serve.” Will the proposed construction/renovation provide the facilities that our growing ministry needs? Or put another way, have we as a congregation been faithful to the theme that we began with? Worship, fellowship, education, administration, and human needs are major ministry areas that will have improved facilities.

Fellowship: new – 2750 sf, kitchen (560 sf) with dishwasher, expanded lobby; existing –1750 sf, kitchen (350 sf).

Education: upper level – meeting/conference room; main level – room adjacent to lobby; lower level (when finished) – youth room, music room, 4-5 classrooms.

Administration: upper level - 9 offices, work room, conference room, sanctuary sound & lighting room, improved security and efficiency.

Human needs: greatly expanded bathrooms; elevator serving lower (under sanctuary), main, and upper levels; entrance off of Rt. 355; multiple stairwells.

Inside floor space: new –30,000 sf (36,000 sf with finished basement); existing – 24,000 sf.

Although our facilities project has evolved during the past few years, we are still close to the limits allowed by zoning.

Building footprint – 21,650 sf, (zone. req. less than 25,931 sf)

Green space – 42,420 sf (zone. req. greater than 41,490 sf)

Parking – 94 space + 25 at Walnut Hill (zone. req. 119).

Please note: space has been reserved for adding an elevator and additional bathrooms to the education wing at a later time.

Given the constraints of our property and available funds, the building committee and the church council feel that our “Growing in Ministry, Building to Serve” project is proceeding in a faithful manner. Finishing the lower level should proceed as quickly as funds are available because our growing ministry desperately needs that space.

Ernie Kessler, Building Committee Chairman 301-963-5910 or bekessler@verizon.net. 

 

 

Last Updated:  04/11/08 08:01 AM