• Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Topic: New Facility

Well, on 02-01-2010, Seacoast Vineyard Church acquired, along with a mortgage from a bank, a 17,000 square foot facility within walking distance of the ocean, the golden strip, the convention center, banking row,, Grissom Parkway, Hwy. 31, and one of the oldest residential areas on the Grand Strand. It's only 6-miles south of our present building and is accessible to anyone coming from the west, north, or south(you'll need a boat if you come from the east).

It's been a long process; actually many years of prayer, various emotions, and lots of hard work by so many people. Thank you Seacoast for your faithfulness, kindness, constant encouragement, and gracious giving. You are the best!

If you watch (which as a confession I do), any MMA matches, you'll hear Bruce Boffer yell at the main event, "Now...it's time!" And so it is. We must continue to be faithful in our giving in order to not only up-fit the new building, but to continue to minister in the areas we have been doing. Pray for our giving to exceed $250,000 for this project. That would allow us to finish the auditorium area, lobby, bathrooms and complete the children/teen/office area. Of course there's lots of other stuff we want to do, but that would get us into the building and up and serving the community.

The biggest request for prayer is that the Lord would increase our influence in Myrtle Beach and beyond; that those already attending would reach out, bring their family & friends, and continue to love their own communities where they are.

"It's ti-m-e!!!" So welcome to our new home. Yes, it's just a tool box of sorts, but at least it's ours, and it positions us to be a blessing to many. New church plants, missions, after-school tutoring, medical clinic, food bank, small business leader training, financial stewardship training, a facility free to our city for their use, a place of worship & healing, and a place where the Bible is preached, taught, explained, so that Jesus can be seen by all. In the midst of this we believe the Lord of the Kingdom, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will come in power and pour out the Father's great love on the people of the Grand Strand in such a way that they cannot help but follow him.

It's time...come Holy Spirit!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Yesterday the facilities Team chose an engineer and a contractor to do Phase One. Please pray with us about this. There is much to do, and we don't want to have to pay double rent. We need to get in our new facility, and out of the old as quickly as possible.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

This recession has actually been a blessing, as far as  acquiring such a facility. But even more so than a building, the recession has eroded much of the hype, pomp, and ego from many of our lives. As Christians it is an opportunity for internal change, just like the chance to buy a building is window of opportunity for external change. It's a great season to look below the surface to what is truly valuable, and I am so happy to say we have many in our church who are doing just that. Lives are being simplified, and relationships are being reinforced and appreciated as never before. It would indeed be a shame to waste the pain of this era and not become more grateful as a people, and more passionate in our faith.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

The Facilities Team met this morning for their weekly organizing get-together; assignments were assigned, there was vigorous debate, brotherly love, and the will of God. I love a righteous "fight" or exchange of creative ideas and the conviction to express them when it is wedded with a humility to coalesce for the glory of God! God has truly blessed the Vineyard with men and women of conviction, courage, and compassion.

Next week we look forward to receiving the first in many engineering drawings that will enable us to acquire a building permit. Demolition will ensue almost immediately.

If you are a subcontractor in the church and want to offer help, contact the church office.

Continue to pray. We will need a lot of coordination to get in by Easter. Also, pray for provision.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

This week is a big week. Please be praying. Walls may even start coming down. Our budget is so very tight for this first phase that every cent is being watched. If you have not yet, and want to contribute to what was called, "Moving Forward," you still can. Please pray about contributing to the building campaign.

This week we should receive part of the MEP (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing) engineering plans, which will free us to actually get a building permit. The MEP design phase is the one area that is holding us up from diving in. Pray for our engineer Steve Cannon to be able to expedite this project, and then for favor with the Myrtle Beach Building Department.

We also may be renting a suite of offices out on the east end of the building. There are 8 small offices we are having cleaned, and hopefully will have available very soon. Of course there is a cafe/small bakery also for rent on the very end of the building. One day, we will have our own cafe there, but for now...we need to get in!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Lots of decisions to be made shortly. Paint, floor-covering, and today I think the team decided to position the new auditorium diagonally so as to not have a box shape. We can't afford to have the ceiling tiles and grid removed (wish we could!) so that the high ceiling could be exposed, so we'll just have to settle for painting the present ceiling black. But, we'll have 3-sides exposed brick, with one wall full of arched windows. Money is short, but the willfulness of the people to help is strong! We now have a sign design, and are deciding on colors for the possibility of carpet in the auditorium if we can't afford the decorative concrete finish on the floor (I mean, we are the coffee & doughnut church, wouldn't it be nice to have a swirled, stained, concrete floor that would be easy to mop in the main meeting area over carpet that gets stained?).

Many hours spent by quite a few people this morning coordinating, discussing, and wrestling with the decisions. God is good!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Today we should receive the plumbing plans. Our engineer promised them to us, so our plumber can begin planning. We have an update meeting every Friday for the Facilities Team, and I will pass on what I gather from that tomorrow. Today, I've got to hit the books. This building sure is fun, but it takes a lot of time.

Keep praying church!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Update: Had the weekly Facilities Team meeting this morning. Discussion is around acid washing the raw concrete floors and staining them versus some carpet; consensus is stained concrete would be cool and reflect our culture more so than carpet, plus with our coffee culture, much easier to maintain. But, it's also a matter of money & acoustics. Acoustically it is a real challenge, what with brick walls. But since we can't get rid of the low ceiling right now, the acoustical tiles would help dampen the extra reverb. Hopefully, we will be able to pull off the stained floors.

We received the plumbing plans, and await the elec., and HVAC on Monday.

We discussed the lobby/foyer and how we wish we could rip the carpet up and either stain the concrete or lay tile down. Again, budget issues may inhibit any additional work there.

Great meeting, good attitudes, and a collegiate spirit was present! Thanks to all who are praying...it's working!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

This week is a banner week for the new building. Look for an additional update as the week progresses. We have looked at areas we can tighten up on in order to save some money. At the same time, it appears that we are receiving some very economical quotes on the acid washed/stained concrete flooring. We may even be able to do that in the lobby as well.

Our church offices are in the process of boxing up, and as soon as we can, we will be moving out of Magnolia Plaza, and into 27th ave. We want to be relocated, office-wise, by next Friday. We are trying to not have to pay rent on our present office space again.

As a matter of prayer, and giving, for all of you who follow this: We will have to pay our lease & our first new facility mortgage payment in March. There's just no way to get out and in to the new place to not have to do this. So, thank you to all who give a extra this  month to help compensate for that.

Bayliss Spivey has been our "boots on the ground" go-to-guy. He's doing an outstanding job, and please pray for Bayliss. He is coordinating and overseeing the contractor & subcontractors. This is a pressure position, and there is much to arrange, and coordinate.

Church, we are on our way! What an exciting time! Please join the team (that seems to grow daily) in working to get us into this new facility. We will get there together!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

The MEP (mechanical - Heating & cooling; electrical, and plumbing) engineering drawings are complete! They will be picked up tomorrow, and the after the architect takes a look at them, will be submitted to the Myrtle Beach building department, along with the architect's plans, for a permit. Pray that this will go quickly.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Engineering drawings go to the architect today! The floorcovering and wall finishes are being finalized (at least choices0, and some scaffolding is being erected in the auditorium.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Great weekly Friday morning update with the Team. Decisions about whether to install three new doors at the entrance to the lobby, or go with one to save some money right now, was discussed, ceiling color (black vs. Plantation brown), base moldings, etching in the concrete (our wave logo etched into center of lobby floor with a light overhead pointing down...sweet!), HVAC, elec., plumbing, tight schedules, etc. Your team is working hard.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Hey, I see where many of you are checking out the updates...how about some comments, got any?

  • Tonda
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Registered: 2005-10-13
  • Posts: 15

Re: New Facility

First, thank you for the updates! I really enjoy hearing about what's going on! I love love that the floors are gonna be acid washed/stained concrete and the logo is just bonus awesome! I also like the idea of only having one door for the entrance so that we don't miss greeting anyone coming in! I'm excited for everything that is going on! I love that we are already going out into the community and hope that we can change the lives of people in Myrtle Beach! Thank again for the updates!

With God's Peace and Love,
Tonda

Tonda's Website

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Thanks Tonda!

Today, at 1:30PM Bayliss Spivey our on-site rep for the church is meeting with the building department to request a "grandfathering" of the existing sprinkler system. One of the inspectors had mentioned wanting us to install an additional dry sprinkler system for the outside. It is very expensive and time consuming. Evidently this is at the discretion of the inspector. Therefore we are asking for some leniency. Please pray for this today.

We will need to do some landscaping out front, and Shane and I looked at that this morning. If you have any experience in planting/sodding/irrigation lines, etc., let Shane, or Bayliss know. You can always call the office as well.

A team of folks from the church are working on the cafe on the ocean-side of the building, getting it presentable. One day, hopefully soon, we will have our own cafe in this spot. At the present, we need funds and are trying to get it in shape so it could be leased out. Paul Alverson, Tonda, Brian, Greg, and many others are working hard replacing ceiling tiles, cleaning grease, and simply sweating it out trying to make it lease-able. Thanks, you guys!

Pray!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Just heard from our point man, and the inspector has told us we can go ahead with the reconstruction as-is. That's great! But...keep praying because we will go before the appeal's board about this issue on April 7. Hopefully we will be in by then. The inspector said he would not stop us from getting in, and he would ask the appeal's board for leniency when we do go before them. Good news! But they could still require us, at that time, to install the dry system.

Keep praying, now Bayliss is on the way to firm up our contract with the general contractor.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Today we await the building department's response to our plans. We will be meeting with our sound engineer to design the stage layout, as well as the sound booth and media area; cabinets, inputs, outlets, etc., amp locations, lighting modules, and all that geeky awesome stuff some of us love to mess with will be planned and drawn out.

One of our interior designers has asked us to look at a "Plantation Brown" in lieu of black for the ceiling in the auditorium. She has a club, bar, or some restaurant that has used this and she believes it looks great. So, some of us will be checking that out.

We will need to have a big work day very soon in order to clean up the premises. We await a large trash container so that we can schedule that. Look for that date soon! Also we will need volunteers to help us do some landscaping in the front. There are plants to plant, some sod to lay, and an irrigation system to get back on-line. If interested in helping with this contact Shane Robertson at the office, or on Sundays.

Keep praying!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Just left the facility after meeting with the sound engineer, and laying out our two-level stage, and sound booth. Kim G. stopped by and got the grand tour! What a view from the front parking lot as the sun sets.

  • Tonda
  • Administrator
  • Offline
  • From: Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Registered: 2005-10-13
  • Posts: 15

Re: New Facility

Just to let everyone know...We will be at the cafe again Saturday at 9 am! It's the last push to get it finished! Let me or Brian Bailey know if you can come. Thanks!

With God's Peace and Love,
Tonda

Tonda's Website

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Well, not much going on today. We are still waiting for the City of MB to release our permit. Man, every day is a big day for us, and our schedule. Pray the City will get this thing back to us!

I (actually Bayliss) am working up a breakdown on the costs so that we can look at them in increments and units. That way if you want to take on 100 square feet of floor (acid wash/stain), you can, or a door, or part of the sage etc. Hopefully I will have that by tomorrow.

Pray!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

The meeting this morning with the team was extremely busy...lots going on! It is such a pleasure and privilege to serve Christ, and His church with this crew. I'm telling you, I've never served with a more committed and spiritual bunch of servants than these.

We are breaking down some of the expenses into bite-sized parts so people can contribute at a base level. The great news is someone has already donated enough to go ahead and order one of the building signs! That's more than half of the $15,000 for the front signage. We ordered both signs today! The balance of the signage cost can be donated "by-letter." That is $341/letter. So, if you donate $682...you just got us two letters!

The floors (acid washed/stained) are $150 per 100 square feet. So, someone could donate 100-200-300 sf for the floor.

The stage has been drawn out, along with the sound/media booth in the back. Colors have been chosen for the tile in the bathrooms, and the paint colors are being picked out now.

We have signed a leasing agreement with an agent that is going to try and lease out some of the 8-office spaces on the east end that we are not using. He will also try and lease the cafe' that Paul & Team are cleaning and getting into shape.

We await a permit (maybe today!), and also a list of landscaping items that Shane (our children's pastor) will be working on.

Great news!!!! Brian Bailey and the Outreach Crew & Mission's Team, have secured permission for us to clean-up Myrtle Beach Primary School campus. Brian asked that we kind of adopt the school, and pick up litter, etc., whatever they need for us to do, maybe once a month. The principle was elated. They have 850 students there and a rather large campus. Of course the High School is right around the corner as well, as is the community rec center, so we will have a lot to choose from.

Man, I'm stoked!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Yeehaw! Just got word we can pick up our building permit from City Hall first thing Monday morning!

Now to sling some hammers and mud!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

There is a glorious mess in the auditorium area! Mountains of insulation, ceiling tile, metal studs, sheetrock, and the sweet pungent smell of sweat...awesome! Cabinets, plumbing fixtures, have been stored (but will have to be moved) in the office area, and an agent is showing some of our rental space to possible clients.

Renovating is kind of like an archaeological dig. You never know for sure what you are going to find behind those walls. We keep praying nothing of a great surprise will deter the current progress.

Drop by for a look!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

I don't know why but I posted an extended report for this past week, and this morning it is gone????? Bummer. I will re-post shortly.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 427

Re: New Facility

Okay, let's see if the "thief" steals this one...

A lot has happened over this past week. The plumbing has been roughed in, and when I left Friday they were awaiting a "rough-in inspection." Our own Michael Williamson is doing the plumbing, and this guy is a hard worker. Please give him a high five when you see him at church. He's doing a great job.

Jan Tonkin, our electrician, and also a member of the church, has prepared the building for safe work, and will begin reinstalling outlets, etc., soon. Please give Jan a high five as well. Great people, doing quality work, and getting it done with love for Christ and their church.

The auditorium is now completely empty, no walls, and the ceiling is being replaced, patched, etc., It will be painted Plantation Brown. The sound booth is roughed in, and the flooring to it, and the platform will be completed next week. Our sound engineer, Joey Oneal, will begin pulling wires Tuesday & Wednesday.

The floor crew (surfers from Carolina Beach, NC) will be grinding the concrete down in the auditorium, lobby, & hall on Monday in preparation for acid washing & staining at the end of the project.

Shane and a crew are in the lobby & hall today scraping the glue & filler off so they will have an easier and quicker job completing the staining. Paul Alverson & his crew are completing the cafe' rebuild so that it can be leased out, as the 8-office spaces will be next to them (we need the income!). This area will  eventually be our own cafe', but for now, let's get some additional financing and get into our digs!

The wall between the lobby & auditorium will be cut through this coming week. It's a brick wall (yep, that was a discovery!), and two sets of 3 foot doors will open the auditorium up to the lobby/coffee bar area.

My old friend Curtis Richardson (and great drummer!) came by and will be building the cabinets for the sound booth and coffee bar area. These will be installed late next week, or the week following depending on the floors.

Part of the facilities team met yesterday on-site to walk through the process, get up-to-date on all the necessary items that need attention, and to pray. We had a great time of prayer. Bayliss Spivey is doing an outstanding job staying on-site for most of everyday working with Dargan Construction in coordinating the work. Please pray for Bayliss, and give him and Lara a high five when you see them. What a blessing!

Financially, we are just as tight as the schedule is to get in by Easter. Someone gave $7,000 this week toward the signs. That will buy one of them, and allow for the other to begin construction. The draperies we want to install in the auditorium cost $4,200 plus some installation expense. They would help with the sound quality of the room, as well as diffuse some of the light from the windows (not to mention they look awesome in that room). In addition we have discovered that it would have been nice to have had an additional potty in the men's restroom. It appears because of the layout we have plenty of urinals, but only one potty. If we can arrange it, we would love to trade out a urinal for a potty, but that costs as well. Not sure how much yet...will keep you posted.

Shane and his team are painting the big kid's room and is excited about finally having some space. Check in with him for updates and offers to help. I'm expecting huge things from our children's and teen ministries once we are relocated. Christian Surfers is also in the works for our new building!

So, all-in-all, things are on track. We're still aiming at Easter. Pray for unity, resources, wisdom, and favor in our community. We're on the wall, and we can't come down until it's finished!

Bless you guys!
Tim