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PO Box 1133 Montpelier, VT 05601-1133 802-229-9429 April 15, 2010 An intensive design process that started in January and involved two architects from Gossens Bachman Architects, three members of the congregation, and numerous engineers has resulted in detailed plans for the reconstruction of the sanctuary. The project was put out to bid to five general contractors in the middle of April. A finalist will be selected in early May; demolition and construction should start soon thereafter and stretch through the summer. The new sanctuary will be an open, light-filled space. The ceiling will be open to the underside of the roof, creating an open feeling to the space. Windows in the two gable ends of the building and in the dormer toward the parking lot, supplemented with a sky light in the eastern roof, will bring plenty of light into the space during daylight services. The bimah will be located along the eastern wall (long wall near the neighbor's) and will be highlighted by natural light. In the evening, small lights suspended over the reading table will direct attention toward the bimah. The sanctuary portion of the building will be built upon a new, full-height foundation, giving long-tern stability to our building. An interior stairway down to the basement will be located along the south wall (short wall near the street) of the sanctuary. A built-in bookcase will hide the staircase from view and will provided much needed storage space for our books. A small closet will all be hidden along this wall. Above the bookcases, reaching up to the ceiling, will be a screen of wooden slats with a Star of David inscribed on it. The flooring of the room will be maple. The entry to the building and the community room at the back of the building will remain virtually the same as at present with a few changes made to accommodate the creation of the new space. The passage from the entryway into the building will be straight into the community room through the present location of a bookcase. A strip of maple flooring will lead the visitor toward the sanctuary. The glass doors to the sanctuary will be moved back toward the community room and the bathroom door will be moved to the present location of the bulletin board. One of the engineering challenges of this building project has been how to keep the back portion standing while the front building is removed. Engineers confirmed that the community room is built of sub-standard materials and is being pressured from the back by the hill behind the building. To strengthen the back wall we will be installing permanent, small metal diagonal braces inside the building angling into the basement. From the outside, the new sanctuary will appear very similar to the present building. The height and massing of the structure will be the same as the historic building. The windows along the parking lot side will be moved slightly as will the dormer above them. The emergency exit will remain were it is today, although the steps will be turned parallel to the building. The bulkhead to the basement will be eliminated. The building will be capped by an asphalt shingle roof that will improve the appearance of the building and keep the snow on the roof during the winter. Overall the new sanctuary will be an attractive space that reflects our historic home but is open and bright. We will give you an update at the annual meeting and on our website. We should be settled into our new space this fall.
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