We are making great progress on our future home with the Tribune Project! As we enter 2023, we thought this would be a good time to share some encouraging updates with you:
A Quick Refresher:
- We are finalizing all the schematic designs for the entire project and solidifying pricing for an adapted Phase 1. You may recall that our original plan included the following phases:
- Phase 1 will transform our future lobby space into a gathering space, build out kids space, and finish the entrance/courtyard.
- Phase 2 will transform the 2nd floor large area into a gathering space.
- Phase 3 will modify rooms on the 3rd floor and create a rooftop terrace.
- As we shared in a previous update, our construction prices came back higher than original estimates showed due to inflation of material costs and reallocating all the demolition costs for the entire project to Phase 1. (The new demolition plan enables us to utilize the current hole in the 2nd floor for loading materials and equipment in and out, saving money in the long run.)
- In light of those increased costs, we’ve modified Phase 1 in order to bring it within our budget. Phase 1 still includes the renovation of the entrance and courtyard (including a play area required for any future childhood partners), the renovation of the future lobby to be used as an area for Gatherings, and the renovation of enough of the kids ministry rooms to give us the same number of kids rooms that we have at our current location.
New Updates:
- The one remaining challenge we’re working through for this phased approach is that, while the combination of money given, money pledged, and our mortgage provides everything needed, we have a timeline gap between a potential move-in date in September 2023 (at which point we will need to be paid-in-full with our contractors) and the end of our giving commitment period in April 2024. We’re exploring a potential short-term bridge loan to cover that brief gap. We also want to make sure you know that any money given earlier than the end of the commitment period helps address this concern.
- We continue to meet with community partners, developers, and other neighborhood church leaders to talk about how we can use this building to serve our city well.
- Through our volunteer work days, we have saved tens of thousands of dollars in demolition costs by removing items from the building. In many cases we are finding people to purchase used equipment and repurposing it. We are donating much of the leftover office furniture to Habitat for Humanity.
- We met with a group from South Bend City Church to learn about how we can make this building more accessible and inclusive for all.
- We were invited to attend the “The Future of Church Property” hosted by Notre Dame’s Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate to meet with experts about how we can use our building for the common good. The Institute was already aware of our project and is quite excited about what our community is dreaming about.
Finally, below is a brief financial update that is current as of December 23. If you would like more detailed information, please contact Matt Graybill at matt@southbendcitychurch.com. If you would like to make a new or additional gift to the Tribune Project or update your current pledge you can go to http://thetribuneproject.com/ or southbendcitychurch.com/give
Financial Update:
Total pledged: $1,768,466.00 from 172 households
(Total given towards pledges: $905,337.23)
(Total given without pledge: $96,924.94)
Total given already: $1,002,262.17
Thank you for your financial partnership in creating “a Place for the People.” We’re grateful and excited for what the future holds for South Bend City Church, The Tribune Project, and for downtown South Bend.
