CLICK HERE FOR THE AUGUST 2022 UPDATE.
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NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE AT THE ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING JUNE 19, 2022 4:00
For information from meetings and presentations prior to May 2022 Click HERE
On December 13, 2021, a Community Meeting was held to introduce the Concept Plan for a new synagogue building on the Boulder Jewish Commons prepared by our project architects Finegold Alexander Architects (FAA) in collaboration with the New Building Project Leadership Team and with input from Bonai Shalom members from July and August 2021 meetings. Over 85 member families participated in the meeting and the enthusiasm and feedback was incredible and inspiring.
Since the Community Meeting, the New Building Project Leadership Team of Rabbi Marc, Jeff Gan Levy, Liz Hanson, Gary Jacobs, Ron Squarer and Bruce Wildman have been working to:
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establish an organizational infrastructure to lead the project forward,
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refine the new building project scope and its estimated cost, and,
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establish and begin to implement a fundraising plan.
What follows is a more detailed status update on key aspects of the project. Thank you for all your support and feedback towards realizing the vision of a new synagogue building for current and future Bonai members. We invite your continued input, participation, and support of this exciting and necessary project and will provide you with a further update – including timeline targets - at the Annual Meeting.
Sincerely,
The Bonai Shalom New Building Project Leadership Team
Rabbi Marc Soloway
Liz Hanson
Jeff Gan Levy
Gary Jacobs
Ron Squarer
Organizational Infrastructure
The New Building Project Leadership Team decided that Committees of Bonai Shalom members with specific expertise in the areas of architectural design, fundraising, legal and finance would be valuable in completing the in-depth work required to drive the new building project forward. To date, three Committees have been formed – Legal, Architecture & Design, and, Fundraising.
Legal
The Legal Committee has solicited proposals from five highly qualified legal firms to advise our community and provide legal services to support this project. Interviews with select firms will take place shortly with the goal of selecting a firm by June/July 2022.
Architecture & Design
An Architecture and Design Committee has been formed and is being led by Co-Chairs Cass Gottlieb and Daniel Aizenman, both experienced architects. The initial conceptual plan prepared by our architects, Finegold Alexander Architects (FAA), is being annotated with refinements based on community input and “value engineering” recommendations to increase the feasibility and utility of the design and to lower construction costs.
City of Boulder Project Approval Process
We have been working towards taking the first of multiple steps in the project approval process with the City of Boulder. The first step, called a Pre-Application Review (“Pre-App”), is an initial step to get a better understanding of the City’s zoning and other technical and regulatory requirements. We plan to submit our Pre-App to the City of Boulder in May and, together with FAA, the Oreg Foundation, and the JCC, will meet with the City staff shortly thereafter. The City is expected to respond on a number of questions that may influence the building design, site plan, access, parking, exterior finish, and other matters related to the project.
Fundraising
A Fundraising Committee has been formed to begin to meet with community members and seek financial support for our project.
Call for Volunteers
The project is in need of volunteers. Click on each link below for more details about volunteer opportunities.