This week's email is largely devoted to our recent presentation on the Parking Lot design, which I'll re-post in next week's email because there were some very important recent developments (and your feedback can still impact the plan). Next Tuesday, and again the Tuesday after that, I'll be writing about the upcoming election and particularly how diverse communities like ours are a strength, not a weakness, in times like these. Remember, too, the church doors are open. The day after the election we'll hold our regular Wednesday service at 9:30 am, and all day after that I and Mother Eliza will be available for those who want to meet with one of us. You can also just sit quietly in the church, which always helps put the current time in perspective and is, in itself, a comfort.

Please Note: Tomorrow (Weds 10/23) you will all receive a text message from our Breeze database requiring you to opt-in to continue receiving text messages from St. James. These are sent mostly (but not solely) to parents and older kids, but please type back "YES" to keep getting messages. We mainly use texts to remind people of upcoming events or meetings. Many of you have found these super helpful, so do opt in!

Many thanks to Sam Geer, the landscape architect from Urban Ecosystems, who was in town last week to meet with the Town of Scarsdale, members of the Renew and Revitalize Task Force, and the entire parish. Sam's presentation after the 10:30 am service was thorough, and exciting! For a video recording of Sam's presentation, click here. For the slide deck, which you'll definitely want to see, click here or on the button below. Comments can be sent by responding directly to this email, and Carol will make sure they get to me and the entire R&R Task Force.

Some highlights:

• Sam has refined the surface materials, which was an item of importance to parishioners during the first draft of his presentation in 2021. Rather than gravel, the proposal suggests asphalt for price, durability, and maintenance reasons. Similarly, the surface for the Arrival Court at the entrance to the church has been changed from the previously proposed bluestone to a more durable but aesthetically beautiful surface (see the slides for detail). It's important to note that sections of the entire space will marked off visibly with borders, not only for the aesthetics, but also to help make our parking lot more functional and easier to navigate.

• The accessibility ramp in Sam's plans has also been upgraded and brought to current code. Notice the new orientation of the ramp staircase in the slide deck, and the seamless flow into the lot and Arrival Court. 

• Drainage remains a top priority in this project. The slide deck shows the water capture method proposed for our lot, as well as their proposed placement, as of yet (pending results from percolation tests). Other drainage solutions include: regrading the lot to run towards the capture tanks (and away from the building!), creating proper wells for the windows beneath the Great Hall (the Nursery School) to properly drain water away from (and not into) the building, and installing a new sump pump near the kitchen area--basically capturing all the main problem areas.

• The retaining wall, which will be necessary once the parking lot is extended fifteen feet westward, will be terraced. This is for both aesthetic and structural reasons. Weight-bearing studies are still being conducted by the engineer and will determine the final design.

• Please remember this is still a work in progress, but this slide deck contains some tremendous improvements based on your feedback from the prior set of plans. We want to keep hearing from you! Again, respond to this email with any feedback and your input will be conveyed to the R&R Task Force.

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make sure we're making informed decisions about every aspect of our work, from the parking lot to the HVAC system to repairs on the Great Hall. Please come be part of the R&R Task Force. We meet every month, in person or online. Complete the short form below to join our efforts!

In case you missed last week's video message, I explain in it why I find it so important to open the doors of the church all week long, not just on Sundays. 

Read the minutes from our elected leaders, the vestry, which meets to discuss and vote on church business every month. Newly updated; includes September's minutes.

2024 Vestry Minutes

Please check and update your information, while helping us keep everyone's info secure and password protected

Breeze Online Directory Invitation

To Reach a Warden:

Senior Warden, Pam Heldman: pamheldman@gmail.com

Junior Warden, Christopher Burrows: cburrows37@gmail.com