|
We will be able to use the renovated house for our Hebrew school classes, regular Shabbat services, adult education classes, meetings, and other programs, although it will not serve our needs for large gatherings such as High Holy Day services and b’nai mitzvah. Once we have moved into our own home on our own property, we will continue to work toward building the beautiful new synagogue that Michael Singer designed.
Permiting
Various permits were required from the state and local authorities. Last fall we applied for and received the local permits from the Brattleboro Design Review Board. We have now successfully obtained the Change of Use permit (this lets us use the building as a synagogue, instead of as a residence) and our application passed the Local Act 250 Review. We have also received a state Act 250 permit.
Repairs Inside the House
In order to make the house safe for our children and to conform to state and local fire, life safety, and handicaped accessibility regulations, we need to complete certain repairs to the house. These repairs include installing a sprinkler system, installing a ramp for wheelchair accessibility, renovating the downstairs bathroom to make it handicaped accessible, and other work of this nature. The estimated cost of completing these repairs is $50,000.
Outside Site Work
When we received our local permits, certain outside work was required by the authorities. The town needs to make sure that the property is accessible to fire trucks, that cars can enter and exit the property safely, without posing a hazard to drivers on Greenleaf Street, that adequate parking is available, and that the character of the neighborhood is maintained. Therefore, we put in a curb cut, created parking spaces (unpaved), put up exterior lighting conforming to the town’s specifications, and did some landscaping. It is important to note that most of this site work would need to be done for the new synagogue as well – that is, if we had a million dollars in hand and were immediately proceeding with the building that Michael Singer designed, we would still be doing this site work, at an estimated cost of $80,000.
October 4, 2004: Good News at Last!
The Brattleboro Design Review Board (DRB) approved our conditional use permit and site plan application for our Greenleaf property at its October 6th meeting. If the permit is not appealed within thirty days from that date, the DRB will issue the written permit that makes the decision official. We still need a permit from the Department of Labor and Industry for work to be done on life-safety issues; applications for that approval will also be the basis for getting estimates from contractors to begin work on the house.
In addition, we will need Act 250 approvals from the state. Three
of the ten required criteria for that have already been completed
in our submission to the DRB; Andrea, Susan, and engineer Bob Stevens
are completing the remaining criteria of the Act 250 application.
What this means is that right now we can continue to use the house
and grounds “residentially.” Small services and meetings
are acceptable but, as a practical matter, at this time of year
we cannot really use the building because the heating system needs
work, the plumbing leaks, and the wiring needs to be upgraded. Since
we hope to begin inside repairs very soon, we hope donations will
start rolling in for the necessary repair work, and we hope there
will be volunteers for jobs we can do ourselves to save money. Please
contact Joe grounds@bajcvermont.org)
to volunteer your services and/or to work with him on the Grounds
Committee. Send donations to BAJC, PO Box 2353, Brattleboro 05303.
You can earmark your donation specifically for work on the house
and grounds if you wish, or you can donate to the overall building
fund. Contact Faith (faith@bajcvermont.org)
or Julie (giving@bajcvermont.org)
for more information, or to volunteer to be on the fundraising committee.
Both committees (Grounds and Fundraising) will welcome your participation!
May 2005: Demolition Days
May 8th was BAJC's first "D-Day" (demolition day)...and the walls at 151 Greenleaf came tumbling down!!!!! Thanks to the awesome efforts of some 36 hardy, hard-working folks, all the upstairs walls at our Greenleaf home were knocked down! Then on May 12th, four people disconnected all the radiators and removed all the plumbing and kitchen appliances and cabinets and removed the ratty carpeting from the cabin. Three days later, on a cold rainy Sunday, eight people knocked out most of the downstairs walls. A week later, on an equally cold rainy Sunday, six people finished the downstairs walls and ceilings and cleaned up most of the debris.
Here's the honor roll of participants: our fearless
leader Joe, of course, and Gershon, Loren, Michael, Susan, Rachel, Elaine and Rick (with Manya and Koby), Paul
and Sharon (and their house guest,
Sharon's brother John), Allen and Deb, Johnny Lee, Esther, Jim
Levinson, Linda and Wink, Sharon and Clark, Linda, Norma and Mel, Judith, Margie, Pal and Donna, Burt, Diane, Stuart, Vikki, Eileen, Elan, Joanne, Faith and Abe, George, Phil,
Paula, Hannah,
Laura.
Most people worked inside, in
a totally hostile environment, while some
worked outdoors in an almost equally hostile
environment (it was pretty cold and windy!).
Extra-special praise and admiration go to Joe,
George, Paul, Wink, Johnny Lee, Loren, Burt,
Phil, Esther, Elaine, Rick, Faith and Abe--the "shtarkehs" who came back for a second and
even third and fourth session of back-breaking,
eye-stinging, throat-clogging work.
The demolition days were remarkable in that
the very act of tearing down the insides of a
building resulted in actually building a stronger,
more caring, more involved community!
Summer and Winter 2005-6
After the demolitions days, renovation continued throughout the winter. We were fully moved in by February, and held a beautiful dedication service and celebration in August, 2006.
|
