Introduction

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church commissioned this study to advise the parish on future improvements to the buildings and grounds. The church wishes to refresh its facilities, to make them more accessible and inviting, more efficient and environmentally sustainable and more supportive of the worship, ministry, education and fellowship mission. This Master Plan addresses the desire of a vibrant Christian community to better meet the needs of its parishioners and staff as well as to appeal to those seeking a new church. The goal of the Master Plan is to provide a shared vision for guiding physical changes to meet the present needs of the St. Michael’s community and those of generations to follow.

St. Michael’s has a strong tradition of stewardship and renewal demonstrated by earlier community leaders who built the church in 1857, relocated it to Putney Road over the new Undercroft in 1957, and expanded again with the Bradley Wing in 1962. Broad consensus has arisen that now is the time to renew again, guided by a sense of stewardship of this inheritance and a willingness to change.

The Master Plan has been shaped by the Building for the Future Committee in dialog with parishioners, staff, and expert consultants. Existing conditions have been assessed, measured, and compared to current and future program requirements. Constraints of property and zoning bylaws have been considered. All improvements will comply with current building and fire safety codes. Changes will be guided by the desire to be environmentally wise and sustainable while improving efficiency and reducing operating costs.

The study indicates that improvements would be best achieved through a mix of new construction around the entrance to the Common Room from Bradley Avenue, renovation of the Bradley Wing, restorative changes to the Sanctuary, Undercroft and kitchen, and reworking of the grounds and utilities. Preliminary cost estimates indicate that the near-term changes envisioned will cost less than one million dollars to construct. Related expenses are accounted for, such as design fees, furnishings, and restorations of stained glass and the organ. Longer term projects are also considered, as future needs and resources align. Services would be conducted at Christ Church, Guilford during construction.

The Master Plan (see link below) is provided here in .pdf format. The file is rather large (50MB), so you may be better off downloading it and reading it offline.

St. Michael's Master Plan April 2010