Renovation News [1]
- 2019 Updates
- September 8 [2]
- September 1 [3]
- August 25 [4]
- August 18 [5]
- August 11 [6]
- August 4 [7]
- July 28 [8]
- July 21 [9]
- July 14 [10]
- July 7 [11]
- June 30 [12]
- June 23 [13]
- June 16 [14]
- June 9 [15]
- June 2 [16]
- May 26 [17]
- May 19 [18]
- May 12 [19]
- May 5 [20]
- April 28 [21]
- April 21 [22]
- April 14 [23]
- April 7 [24]
- March 31 [25]
- March 24 [26]
- March 17 [27]
- March 10 [28]
- March 3 [29]
- February 24 [30]
- February 17 [31]
- February 10 [32]
- February 3 [33]
- January 27 [34]
- January 20 [35]
- January 13 [36]
- January 6 [37]
- 2018 Updates
- December 30 [38]
- December 23 [39]
- December 16 [40]
- December 9 [41]
- December 2 [42]
- November 25 [43]
- November 18 [44]
- November 11 [45]
- November 4 [46]
- October 28 [47]
- October 21 [48]
- October 14 [49]
- October 7 [50]
- September 30 [51]
- September 23 [52]
- September 16 [53]
- September 9 [54]
- September 2 [55]
- August 26 [56]
- August 19 [57]
- August 12 [58]
- August 5 [59]
- July 29 [60]
- July 22 [61]
- July 15 [62]
- July 8 [63]
- July 1 [64]
- June 24 [65]
- June 17 – Work Begins [66]
- June 10 [67]
- June 3 [68]
- May 27 [69]
- May 20 [70]
- May 13 [71]
- May 6 [73]
- April 29 [74]
- April 22 [75]
- April 15 [76]
- April 8 [77]
- April 1 [78]
- March 25 [79]
- March 18 [80]
- March 11 [81]
- March 4 [82]
- February 25 [83]
- February 18 [84]
- February 11 [85]
- Solar Panels Online [86]
- February 4 [87]
- October 2017 Update [88]
- October 2016 Update [89]
- July 2014 Video Update [90]
- May 2013 Update [1]
- June 2012 Concept Plans [91]
- June 2011 Proposal [92]
What is the renovation project?
The Friends Meeting of Washington has undertaken over 10 years of discernment, discussion, and planning for a major renovation of our space. Through this process, Friends have envisioned a renovation of our Meeting that meets three important goals:
- Accessibility: We'll install an elevator and passageways to connect the three buildings on our campus to each other (the Meetinghouse, Quaker House, and Carriage House).
- Environmental Stewardship: We'll make our gardens even more beautiful, functional, and accessible, while fixing long-standing drainage problems and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff from our property that enters DC's sewer system following a rain storm.
- Inclusivity and Welcoming: Through the above goals, we'll make our campus more inclusive of our members and attenders of all ages, including those with physical disabilities or mobility issues. We'll also provide a more welcoming space to visitors and other space users from the community.
How did we get here?
- 1930: Meetinghouse constructed. Totally inaccessible to those with physical limitations
- 1950: Meetinghouse expanded, including new Library, Decatur Place, and Terrace Rooms
- 1956: Ramp to Meeting Room north entrance added, making it accessible. Parlor and Library also accessible, via that entrance to the Meeting Room
- 1970: Meeting purchases Quaker House, Carriage House, and grounds
- 2002: Faith, Facilities, and Financial Realities (FFFR) process initiated to begin prayerful consideration of our renovation needs.
- 2003: FFFR Committee recommended that Meeting House be made accessible and our facilities used to greatest extent possible. Recommends Capital Campaign be organized.
- 2004: Threshing sessions, visits with Friends from other Meetings that had recently undertaken reonvations, and visits to these Meetings
- 2006: Quaker fundraising consultant engaged to help determine whether FMW could mount this renovation effort and raise the needed funds
- 2006: Meeting for Business approved the expenditure of funds on early design concepts
- 2008: Financing meetings with the School for Friends and other Quaker organizations to explore tenancy options
- 2010: Capital Campaign launched
- 2012: Meeting for Business approves current plan concept and we engage Quaker architect Evan Lippincott and archtecture and engineering firm Gauthier Alvarado Associates to move the design forward.
- 2013: Schematic Design set completed, showing addition and back garden design. Construction cost estimate $1.7 million
- 2014: Design Development set complete showing additional project details. Construction cost estimate $1.8 million
- 2015: Progress set civil engineering (stomwater and drainage) plans completed. Construction cost estimate grows to $2.7 million. Extended discussion of possible cost reduction changes.
- 2016: Bid set completed. Construction estimate grows to $2.9 million.
- 2017: Permit set completed and submitted to DC for permitting. Estimated construction contract grows to $3.8 million. Meeting approves borrowing up to $3.5 million. Mortgage negotiated with Sandy Spring Bank. Storm water management plan greatly revised.
- 2018: Contract negotiations with Monarc Construction begin the year, with rough contract cost estimate of $3.6 million. Construction set to begin in April and take about a year.
What will the renovation project look like and why is it needed?
The following 2014 videos provide an overview of the renovation project and how the FMW campus will benefit:
- FMW Renovation Plans [93] (3 minutes)
- FMW Renovation Walkthrough [94] (10 minutes)
- Full video including history of the buildings [90] (27 minutes)
The project described in these plans is the current project, except that:
- We will not merge the remaining half of the Parlor with the Library, but will keep a smaller Parlor space and the present Library.
- We will add a new room in the current open deck space between Carriage House and Quaker House.
- There will be a 400-square-foot bioretention pond to capture stormwater at the lower end of the East Garden.
- We are enlarging the Assembly Room by replacing the wall between it and the Children's Library space with a folding wall, and we are upgrading the floor, ceiling, lighting and HVAC to make it a more spacious and attractive space.