Answer:
That may well happen. We may have some overlap between completion of this three-year campaign and next steps with the property development. We anticipate that conceptualizing, designing, and developing the property will most likely take 4-5 years or longer.

Q: Are we moving full-steam ahead on the purchase of this property? I really think we should!

Answer:
Definitely, yes. The property owner has indicated they are positioned to sell at this time. They want to move to Leesburg to be closer to children. As soon as Mr. X recovers from his recent knee surgery, we anticipate hearing from him about next steps. The owner really likes us, and they want to sell to us---we just need to come to terms on a fair price. Serious negotiations have started. It is providential timing for both St. Andrew’s and the owner.

Q: Is there any known competition for the property?

Answer:
Not that we know of. The owner is convinced that it only makes sense for us to have it. We essentially have first right of refusal.

Q: What is the current value of the property?

Q: Will we employ someone to help us with the property purchase?

Answer:
St. Andrew’s congregation will buy it, with the help from a Real Estate attorney we’ve used before. Zoning actions are yet to be determined.

Q: Are there creative sale options that we might employ to assure success in the upcoming round of property negotiations?

Answer:
We’re open to being as creative as we need to be in order to secure the property for St. Andrew’s. A slowing housing market doesn’t really help us – not like buying a house.

Q: How is the property zoned?

Answer:
The property is zoned as “R1”, one acre residential with well and septic. We have consulted with Fairfax County and know we would need to secure a special use permit amendment. This would not be difficult to accomplish.

Q: What are the short-term and long-term plans for the use of the owner's house?

Answer:
In the short-term, we would bring the building up to code and lay a walkway to the house in order to make the space usable for our junior and senior high classes. We might allocate some administrative space there, too. Existing space there could be used almost immediately. However, the owner's house would not include the church office which will remain where it is currently located.

In the long term there are several possibilities, but we would likely demolish the current structure in favor of a multi-use facility. Another key consideration in the long term will be how to preserve green space as we develop and use green building technology in doing so.

Q: What has been the general reaction to Ministry for Tomorrow! you’ve received in talking to parish friends and families ?

Answer:
“ Cool”, must-have; we’ve been coveting it for a long time!

Our leadership team of Bob Edmonds, Chris Conrad and Doug Connell are working to design the campaign in a manner that involves at least half of the congregation in some aspect of campaign stewardship—be it training volunteers, marketing, financing, fundraising activity, or engaging the membership in a broader sense of stewardship and our future ministry. We fully intend to reach out to and involve both past and current members.

Q: Randall, how does your involvement with the county in housing issues relate to this project?

Answer:
Not directly. However, down the road there is potential for including three SRO units in our property development plans. These units could serve as a model for area churches on creative ways to address our county’s homeless problem. I see the homeless as one of three priorities for our future growth in ministry. The other two priorities are the elderly and our youth. It is important to note here that the majority of newcomers to St Andrew’s are young couples and families—we owe it to our young people to build for the future.