Our Renovation

What was the renovation project?

The Friends Meeting of Washington undertook over 10 years of discernment, discussion, and planning for a major renovation of our space. Through this process, Friends envisioned a renovation of our Meeting that meets three important goals:

  • Accessibility: We installed an elevator and passageways to connect the three buildings on our campus to each other (the Meetinghouse, Quaker House, and Carriage House). 
  • Environmental Stewardship: We made our gardens even more beautiful, functional, and accessible, while fixing long-standing drainage problems and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff from our property that enters DC’s sewer system following a rain storm. 
  • Inclusivity and Welcoming: Through the above goals, we made our campus more inclusive of our members and attenders of all ages, including those with physical disabilities or mobility issues. We are also provide a more welcoming space to visitors and other space users from the community.

How did we get here?

  • 1930: Meetinghouse constructed. Totally inaccessible to those with physical limitations
  • 1950: Meetinghouse expanded, including new Library, Decatur Place, and Terrace Rooms
  • 1956: Ramp to Meeting Room north entrance added, making it accessible.  Parlor and Library also accessible, via that entrance to the Meeting Room
  • 1970: Meeting purchases Quaker House, Carriage House, and grounds
  • 2002: Faith, Facilities, and Financial Realities (FFFR) process initiated to begin prayerful consideration of our renovation needs.
  • 2003: FFFR Committee recommended that Meeting House be made accessible and our facilities used to greatest extent possible.  Recommends Capital Campaign be organized.
  • 2004: Threshing sessions, visits with Friends from other Meetings that had recently undertaken renovations, and visits to these Meetings
  • 2006: Quaker fundraising consultant engaged to help determine whether FMW could mount this renovation effort and raise the needed funds
  • 2006: Meeting for Business approved the expenditure of funds on early design concepts
  • 2008: Financing meetings with the School for Friends and other Quaker organizations to explore tenancy options
  • 2010: Capital Campaign launched
  • 2012: Meeting for Business approves current plan concept and we engage Quaker architect Evan Lippincott and architecture and engineering firm Gauthier Alvarado Associates to move the design forward.
  • 2013: Schematic Design set completed, showing addition and back garden design.  Construction cost estimate $1.7 million
  • 2014: Design Development set complete showing additional project details.  Construction cost estimate $1.8 million
  • 2015: Progress set civil engineering (stormwater and drainage) plans completed. Construction cost estimate grows to $2.7 million. Extended discussion of possible cost reduction changes. 
  • 2016: Bid set completed. Construction estimate grows to $2.9 million.
  • 2017: Permit set completed and submitted to the DC government for permitting. Estimated construction contract grows to $3.8 million. Meeting approves borrowing up to $3.5 million. Mortgage negotiated with Sandy Spring Bank. Storm water management plan greatly revised.
  • 2018: Contract negotiations with Monarc Construction begin the year, with rough contract cost estimate of $3.6 million.  Construction set to begin in April and take about a year.

Learn more about our discernment process that led to the project.

Why was it needed?

The following 2014 videos provide an overview of the renovation project and how the FMW campus will benefit:

The project described in these plans is the final project as constructed, except that:

    • We did not merge the remaining half of the Parlor with the Library, but kept a smaller Parlor space and the present Library.
    • We added a new room in the current open deck space between Carriage House and Quaker House.
    • There is a 400-square-foot bioretention pond to capture stormwater at the lower end of the East Garden.
    • We enlarged the Assembly Room by replacing the wall between it and the Children’s Library space with a folding wall, and we upgraded the floor, ceiling, lighting and HVAC to make it a more spacious and attractive space.

2019 Construction Updates