By Peter Schaff
During the September 22 Annual Meeting, I shared an update regarding the church’s proposed plans for much-needed facility improvements. Here are a few key points from that update.
- The Village of Kenilworth’s review of our zoning application is nearing completion. With favorable recommendations in hand from the Village’s Architectural Review Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, our zoning application now goes to the Village Board of Trustees for final approval on October 28.
- The Village review process has lasted over a year and resulted in a number of plan revisions as well as new use restrictions (principally relating to our use of the proposed new driveway from Warwick Road). We are nonetheless pleased to report that the strategic objectives and design solutions set forth at the September 2023 Annual Meeting remain intact. The site plan and floor plans for the proposed new wing that will replace the Manse can be found in the Annual Meeting presentation deck here.
- Once we have final zoning approval from the Village Trustees, we will update our construction drawings and rebid the project. There has been upward pressure on our project budget due to the costs of pursuing our zoning approval, the costs of certain agreed scope changes, and the impact of inflation. But we will also be building a smaller and more efficient addition, which will help to offset these costs. We expect to have a final project budget in early January and—if all goes as planned—to begin work next spring and finish in time for Homecoming Sunday in September 2026.
- We have made great progress with our Capital Campaign and are profoundly grateful for the generosity of our congregation and the thoughtful management of the church’s finances by our staff. Once we have the final project budget in January, we will update the congregation as to the remaining funds required to fully fund the Capital Campaign’s objectives.
- As you consider your financial support for Kenilworth Union, please remember the giving priorities that Bill Evertsberg has articulated in past sermons: Stewardship first (fall campaign upcoming), Outreach second (via the annual Outreach Benefit), and then finally the Capital Campaign (a “once in a generation” giving appeal).