Building Project
History
In response to an overcrowded narthex and a shortage of gathering space, in 2003 St. Alban’s Church embarked on a capital campaign to address these issues. The project was not an easy one … fundraising took longer than expected, and in the ensuing period, the scope and cost of the project changed.
As reported in special parish meetings in May and June, 2005, engineers determined that our old heating, cooling, and ventilating system were living on borrowed time and had to be replaced. The engineering consultants and our architects made clear to us that it would be irresponsible to initiate new renovations around a crumbling mechanical plant.
Over one-third of the projected construction costs will be needed to support the installation of the new mechanical systems. However, now that the new systems are installed, they are flexible to operate and have reduced our energy and maintenance costs.
In the mid-1990s, the Vestry commissioned a consultant to prepare an engineering study of our physical plant. This study indicated that the existing mechanical systems in Nourse Hall would need to be replaced in about ten years. However, only with this big building project has the church obtained accurate cost estimates of the specific work that was needed.
As a result, it was necessary to confine the immediate architectural improvements to the existing building envelope, with the goal of increasing the gathering space adjacent to the narthex. We were also able to reconfigure the layout of the existing assembly area in Nourse Hall, reconfigure and upgrade the restrooms, and improve the circulation routes between the narthex and the upper and lower levels of Nourse Hall. The renovation of the lower level of Nourse Hall included lowering the floor level and reconfiguring the existing choir/assembly room area and the flower guild facilities so that there is more usable space.
In May and June, 2005, the Building Committee issued a request for proposals for the architectural and engineering work that will be needed. Six architectural firms were interviewed with the assistance of Realco Project Management Services, the firm that the Vestry retained in December 2004. The committee unanimously recommended the selection of MTFA Architecture, a firm with demonstrated expertise in preserving important religious and cultural landmarks, while enhancing their usefulness and economic viability.
During the summer of 2005, the MTFA architects worked closely with the St. Alban’s Building Committee to develop architectural plans for the proposed renovations to the narthex and Nourse Hall. The schematic drawings in the following pages outline these plans, as well as the benefits that will result from the proposed design. These materials are followed by a report on the financial status of the building project.
Benefits of the New Design
The design renovation of Nourse Hall incorporates many of the benefits of the master plan developed in September 2003, but confined construction to the interior. While this reduction in the scope of the work was due to our project budget, a benefit was that the review periods required by our neighborhood ANC and by the City Historic Preservation Office were reduced. This allowed the much needed renovations to proceed more efficiently. A brief description of the originally proposed designs for each of the three levels of the renovated Nourse Hall follows.
Main Level: An enlarged lobby in Nourse Hall adjoins, and more than doubles the size of, the present narthex. The expanded narthex includes a direct connection to Nourse Hall’s main fellowship hall, the exterior columbarium and the restrooms. A central stair and elevator off of this expanded narthex will provide efficient access to all levels of the building. For convenience, two handicapped-accessible restrooms, each with a single toilet, are situated on the main level and the remaining code-required restrooms are located at the foot of the stairs, adjacent to the elevator on the lower level. Placing the majority of the restrooms on the lower level maximizes the size of the expanded narthex.
The proposed size of the fellowship hall is identical to the plan proposed in September of 2003. Even though the hall is reduced in length, its usable area is increased. This is achieved by lowering most of the stage to the main floor level and eliminating the circulation space currently required to reach the existing Wisconsin Avenue stairs. Storage rooms have been added to reduce the space currently dedicated to the open storage of tables and chairs. The assembly room will be upgraded with new lighting, wood wainscot, and an arched window into the stairway to the upper level.
Upper Level: A new wider stair that is naturally illuminated by two existing dormer windows leads from the expanded narthex to the upper level of Nourse Hall. It surrounds an elevator that provides accessibility to the robing room. The size of the existing robing room is preserved, and its large arched window remains the focal point of this wonderful space. The size of the balcony will remain the same, but its capacity will be slightly reduced to enable one stair to serve this upper level and meet current code requirements.
Lower Level: Careful planning provides for an efficient use of space on the lower level of Nourse Hall. The use of all of the rooms on this level will be enhanced by lowering the floor. The choir rehearsal area, with its storage room, will be relocated to the Wisconsin Avenue side of the building, so that there will be no need to pass through it to reach the other rooms on this floor. The choir rehearsal space is now also used for other program purposes, and its reconfiguration will make it a more valuable multi-function room for the Parish.
The new flower room will be as large as the present one, will include two windows on the sunny side of the building, and will be located adjacent to the short central corridor. The men’s and women’s robing rooms will also be located off of the central corridor, and the south exterior stair that emerges at grade next to the Church’s main entrance will be rebuilt.
The creation of smaller mechanical rooms will free up space on the lower level for the enlarged restrooms, stairs, elevator, elevator machine room, and a janitor’s closet. The full renovation of Nourse Hall will enable the installation of new and efficient mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems to support the intensive use of the facility. The new equipment will also reduce maintenance and energy costs, and will greatly reduce the capital maintenance burden placed on the Reserve Fund.
Photos & Plans
Photos from March 2007 »
Photos from September 2006 »
MTFA Building Project Drawings »
Financial Information
Financial Report on Building Fund (2001–2009) »
Building Committee
S T A T U S
The building project at
Washington
National Cathedral »
R E L A T E D D O C S
2007 Report for the Annual Meeting (PDF)
March 5, 2006:
Status Report from the Two Parish Forums (PDF) »