State of the Facilities Report

The purpose of this blog entry is to inform the Southside congregation on the status of our buildings and grounds.

The sanctuary was built around 1957 and remodeled around 1990. During the remodel, neither the pews nor the lighting was updated. since the 1990 remodel, however, the sound has been updated.

Except for cosmetic work, no major update has been done in the past 20 years. Our building feels old and tired. A major renovation is long overdue. new seating and lighting installed the sanctuary would be a good place to start; the balcony is uncomfortable and should be reconfigured for better seating. The stage and choir rooms are also in need of updating.

The Old Education Building (OEB) was built around 1958, and except for the moving of a few walls and installation of carpet and painting, there has been no upgrading of the OEB in 51 years. Restrooms, lighting, ceilings, carpet and tile need to be updated. Resource rooms are in terrible condition and need to be gutted and updated.

The Christian Activity Center (CAC) was built in 1987. Five air conditioning/heat units cover this area and they are 22 years old. The HVAC units are long past the typical life span and should be replaced. The rubber membrane roof that covers the CAC is also 22 years old and has deteriorated due to age and weather; it should be replaced.

The modular building was purchased in 1997 to provide space for our growing Preschool department. In recent years, however, 2 adult Bible study classes meet there. The modular is 12 years old and is showing its age. It needs a new roof, awnings, carpet and tile.

In addition to the main church building, the Southside campus includes 9 houses which were built in the 60's. Several Southside ministries use these houses, including Sunday School, Youth and Singles. We also have a Mission House which has been used by furloughing missionaries as well as others in need of temporary housing. church offices and a counseling center are also located in 3 of these houses. The 9 houses were purchased with the long-term goal of tearing them down to make was for a new church building; in the meantime, the houses are used continually and must be carefully maintained to ensure the safety and comfort of all.

A critical issue at Southside is safety and security. Although background checks are done for volunteers and staff, we must be proactive and have a more comprehensive plan for safety and security for the entire church. Unfortunately, the necessary funds are not available at this time to put such a plan into action.

Our history at Southside has been to do quick fix rather than spend the money required to update and renovate. It's time to give up the tired, worn and dated and 'spiff up' the house of the Lord. Let's invest our time and our money in order to make our facilities inviting, warm, safe and modern...for the benefit of the Body and our guest and to the glory of God.

Have you ever had a favorite chair, one that was comfortable and fit so well for so long, but then your back began to hurt, and your doctor suggested that you needed a new chair because the old familiar one is no longer meeting your need for firmness and support. This is the principle that has happened at Southside. Our buildings are comfortable and familiar, but they are no longer meeting our needs.
Huntsville is one of the most technological-savvy cities in America and yet Southside’s buildings are old, dated and tired and do not meet the needs of a 21st century congregation. Other churches in Huntsville offer beautiful, welcoming, modern buildings and cutting-edge technology. Southside needs a facelift. Restrooms need to be updated and the sanctuary needs to be renovated, including new sound, lighting, pews, and windows. The balcony needs to be updated to allow more comfortable seating.
The Old Education Building is just that, old. The dropped ceiling and lighting need to be updated, restrooms modernized, floors re-tiled, and sheetrock and windows replaced. Our church offices also need attention; it has been suggested that building a new office complex which houses all church staff would be ideal.
Renovation is expensive, but the choice is clear: maintain the status quo of the old, familiar, and comfortable, or update and upgrade in order to keep pressing forward in the 21st century.

The old saying is that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Southside is located on one of the busiest streets in Huntsville with 16,000 cars passing daily. Thanks to Daryl and his crew at Alabama Lawn Masters, Southside makes a wonderful first impression to the thousands of people who pass our campus every day. Alabama Lawn Masters has been our landscaper for 8 years, and we have received a Beautification Award 7 of those years, including this year's award.

What about first impressions and visitors? Before visitors are greeted, hear a sermon or sing a song, they see our facilities. Each member of Southside should be interested in our church making a good first impression. Picking up trash, offering a friendly smile and a warm handshake, holding a door open for a mom with her hands full, giving up your regular seat so a family can sit together, seeing a need and taking care of it are ways that you can help Southside make a good first impression.

The light bulb as we know it may go the way of the dinosaur. Congress has passed a law establishing a minimum level of efficiency for all incandescent bulbs by the year 2012. If manufacturers cannot produce an incandescent bulb that is more efficient, they will have to cease production.



In commercial settings like Southside fluorescent lighting is the norm. There are two problems with fluorescent lighting. One problem is that they contain mercury and the other problem is heat. While fluorescent bulbs do not produce as much heat as incandescent bulbs, the heat loss does reduce their efficiency.



The new technology for task lighting is LED. LED has been around since the 70's but white LED is a new technology with promising benefits. An LED bulb can last up to 50,000 hours with no heat loss. Presently the downside of using LED lighting is the cost. The technology is expensive but the cost may be offset by lower maintenance cost and energy savings.



Energy costs continue to increase and Southside is always looking at innovative ways to reduce energy costs.

Let's talk energy costs. The last three-month average for Southside utilities was $9,240.00. Energy costs are rising; here's what we can do to conserve energy and cut costs:

• Turn off lights in rooms that are not being used. If you will be out of a room or office for an extended period of time, turn off the lights as you leave.
• Set the thermostats in the campus houses 2 degrees cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer. (68 degrees in winter and 72 degrees in summer)

Energy conservation and cutting costs is a mark of good stewardship.
Do your part!

Church vans

The church owns two 15-passenger vans for use by the church family. We refer to the vans by color. Due to its age the gray van is for local use only. The white van is used for out of town trips. In the past few years, studies have been done regarding the safety of 15-passenger vans. Southside has followed the recommendations of the National Transportation Board and our insurance company to ensure that our vans are as safe as possible. The number of passengers is limited to 10. The rear seat has been removed and stabilizer bars have been installed on the white van. The maximum speed limit of the church vans is 60 mph. Van safety is a top priority; the vans are serviced regularly by a certified mechanic.

The van reservation calendar is maintained in the Facility Manager's office. Van request forms are available in the church office and the Facility Manager's office. The completed form is returned to the Facility Manager; if there is no conflict with scheduling on the church calendar, the request is approved. In the near future, you will be able to reserve the van online through our web page.

The chruch vans are a blessing to the ministries of Southside, and groups are encouraged to take advantage of their availablility. A list of certified drivers is maintained by the Facility Manager.

March 2008

How do you get a church related event on the calendar? Event forms are available in the church office and the facility manager's office. The completed form is to be returned to the office or to the facility manager. If the proposed date is availabe and there are no conflicts on the church calendar, the ministerial staff reviews the event request to ensure that it is within the guidelines of church policy. If the request is approved, it is added to the church calendar.

A women's Self Defense class is in the planning stage and will probably be scheduled for a date in May.

For you information, Southside has an automated external defibrillator (AED): several staff members are trained in the use of this device. (Sammy Brooks, Larry Forester, Lisa Lowell, Bryan Martin and Meg Sanders.)