New Building Project
January 2011 August 2011
Alpine Community Center has found a permanent home in a sturdy old landmark near the center of Alpine. The old church was built about fifty years ago and has served the community in many ways since then. Some members of the ACC board even have grown-up kids who attended pre-school in this building. Moving forward, ACC will operate the facility in keeping with our mission:
“The Alpine Community Center seeks to provide a facility and resources that offer a wide variety of programs for all persons in South Benton County. We strive to strengthen and unite the community by bringing together diverse elements, through arts, education, and economic development.”
Acquisition
When this property went on the market, the church owners and many others suggested it would make a perfect home for ACC. ACC first made an unsuccessful offer on this building in early 2009. The building remained on the market and the price kept tumbling. In November, 2010 the ACC board resolved to purchase the property for $50,000 and to assemble a new task force comprised of a few members of the ACC board plus other community members who were committed to shepherding the negotiations and the transition.
Generous community members stepped in to facilitate the transaction by using cash to purchase the building from the church at a bargain price in December 2010 and then transferring the title to ACC in exchange for a promissory note.
Payment Plan
These neighbors have done their best to make it easy for ACC to repay them, interest-free. ACC will make two balloon payments: $25,000 in three years (Jan 2014) and $25,000 in five years (Jan 2016). This provides time to raise funds from every possible source: grants from foundations, fundraising events, local donations...
ACC with the help of a new Outreach Committee is developing a fundraising plan that will guide the effort to repay our generous neighbors and raise the funds needed toward the effort to remodel the building to suit its new purpose(s).
So far almost 20% of the first balloon payment has been raised, while funds for renovations are also growing, thanks to generous contributions.
Your contribution, large or small, is a huge vote of confidence and direct benefit to ACC. You can donate by clicking here or send a check to the address below.
Immediate Repairs.
- A couple of minor plumbing repairs have been corrected.
- The central beam in the main hall has been replaced.
- The roof has been replaced and R19 insulation added over the main hall.
- Insulation in the attic space over the classrooms and kitchen is next on the agenda.
.Check out the progress...
We have been making these repairs since moving in January 2011 as our first act of ownership.
Beyond this set of immediate occupancy issues, we expect to make additional changes to the building that make it better suited for our core programs and community uses.
Progress!
New_Roof
BeamReplacement
Ford Family Foundation has provided a challenge grant of $8000 for critical repairs that are now complete at the new Alpine Community Center. ACC is matching that grant with contributions of volunteer labor and cash raised from our Monroe Resale Shop, the Alpine Century fundraiser in August, and donations from neighbors like you who want to contribute to the future of our community.
Repairs at the new Alpine Community Center facility were completed on time and within budget.
Alpine Community Center sports an energy-efficient new roof thanks to an overwhelming demonstration of community support! Volunteers raised over $10,000 in grant funding and local donations for the insulation and roofing materials, then 33 volunteers removed old roofing, installed the R19 vented rigid insulation over the main hall, and laid shingles over the entire roof. Over 500 hours of volunteer labor have gone into the project - a true labor of love.
Work began in the heat of late September and continued through periods of rain and wind to conclude this week as temperatures dropped. The work is the first step toward transforming the community center facility, built as a church in the 1950s, into an energy-efficient community resource that is available and comfortable for the next several generations.
The Alpine Community Center all-volunteer board is now working to expand community uses for the facility since it is now dry and secure. A new advisory committee has begun to focus on ways to expand programming and access to the facility.
Join the community center board in thanking these generous volunteers!
Gabe Babcock Loyal Bassett Jason Beam Ethan Bennet Dorothy Brinckerhoff Gordon Dobbie Guy Eckelberger Jenny Gray Warren Halsey Laurie Halsey Lonnie Hellwege Alison Hellwege Rob Hinton Jack Jones Jim Kavanagh Sharon Kavanagh Evelyn Lee Justin Long Phil McCullum Chris Mussachio John Norrena Shamus Ortlieb Andy Parsons Hazen Parsons Cy Parsons Alpine Cooperative Preschool Parents Mike Puhek Steve Rose Pete Salerno John Scott Russ Smith Pete Stokes Seamus Walsh George Wisner
Volunteer efforts resulted in the removal of the box beam down the center of the main hall and its replacement with some very attractive and structurally sound collar ties.
Jim and Rob do some planning and socializing
A lot of preparation and skill have gone into the project by an all-volunteer team of neighbors with skills in engineering and carpentry.
In the photo above you can see part of the old box beam in the main hall at the apex of the ceiling, with Rob and Jim setting up scaffolding on the day before collar ties were installed and the old beam removed.
All the preparation for the work day on Sunday really paid off as the work progressed smoothly. Thanks to John, Rob and Seamus for their leadership.
This work party set a tone of collaboration and congenial effort across multiple generations. Andy and his son Hazen are shown above on the scaffolding installing one of the new collar ties on the ceiling. They were among the capable, congenial, hard workers who contributed to the success of a demanding day, investing in the facility for their kids and grandkids. It was awesome!
The new look for the main hall
Please join me in thanking all those volunteers who are making significant contributions to the vitality of the community!
Watch for news of more progress soon as volunteers prepare the facility for events and opportunities to come.
June 23, 2011 More great action photos from the beam replacement from John's cell phone camera!
Help Make it Happen!
While committing to this purchase took much work from a group of dedicated volunteers, there's still plenty of work to come. If you want to be a part of this fun and exciting effort, please join in:
- To help with repairs, moving, maintaining the new building and its landscaping, or planning how we make the most of the new facility, call Evelyn at 541-847-6028 or email us at info@alpinecommunity.net.
- To donate toward the purchase or the cost of repairs and repurposing, click here or send a check to the address below:
Alpine Community Center
25184 Webster Avenue
Monroe, Oregon 97456
