HPIC'S FUNDRAISING SPRINT
What are we asking:
- Help Support HPIC’s 9 Month Fundraising Sprint
- Fundraising Goal & Timeline: Raise $2.6m in 9 months or less, for a total of $3.4m
- Groundbreaking in Fall of 2023 depends on 80% of funding by Q3 of 2023
- Planned opening in late 2024
- Need the community’s Time + Talent + Treasure now to make this happen quickly!
Why are we asking:
- We must preserve this gathering place to connect with our neighbors and spotlight local artists – this is a unique venue for our neighborhood, even as gathering places and performance venues are being lost in Seattle
- Creating this venue for art, music and performance is a magnet for community connection
- Centering inclusivity makes this a safe space for everyone who wants to participate and connect
How it works once it’s open:
- Regular music and performance-based events for local artists with an open invite to community
- Space stays solvent as a rental space for arts & culture, indoor exercise like dance and yoga, event rental space (quinceaneras, graduations, etc), and civic events for local issues and candidate forums.
- Connection point for community experiencing food insecurity
- Eco friendly and sustainable space with updated heating/cooling, healthier ventilation with connection between indoors and outdoors, rain garden, solar panels and more
Where your money goes:
- We have selected Metis Construction, Inc as contractor for the building. Metis did a ROM (Rough Order of Magnitude) look at pricing for the building and the estimate is $3.1m. Here are some initial efforts toward cost-cutting:
- Value engineering, as the design process continues
- Potentially reclaiming and reusing materials from the remains of the old building
- Planning volunteer work parties when possible
- Design (architectural, structural, survey, mechanical, electrical, other consultants and permitting costs are expected to be around $300k
- Total fundraising goal = $3.4m
- We are planning a phased approach, with the goal of Phase 1 to get the building open and certified for occupancy so that we have a gathering space again and can continue to fundraise and generate income in the time-honored tradition of HPIC.
Funding – here’s what we have so far:
- $500k insurance
- $250k insurance on building completion
- $50k community donations
- $400k BFA grant (pending full funding by state legislature)
- = $1.2M
CORNER BAR AT SENIOR CENTER OF WEST SEATTLE - Friday Apr 7
New Signage on Holden - Celebrating the bridge reopening
Links to the town hall recordings
Time for reflection and transformation
During this time, as we make sure the physical space is safe and secure, we are also considering our internal structure and how we can rebuild and refresh that too – board structure, volunteer coordination, the meaning of membership and more. We will be reaching out to the community for your input as we begin to envision the revived physical space and what it might embody. Stay tuned!
Diversity and Inclusion at HPIC
Change is occurring on all levels at HPIC. Now, as we recover from the fire that closed our building June 25, 2021, we are also examining the club’s own history, processes and programming in order to better represent and celebrate the diversity of our community, and foster inclusion throughout all that we do as an organization.
The HPIC board cares deeply about the people of our community, and we want to be explicit about our stand for social justice. We have a lot to learn, and we look forward to sharing this journey with you. If you have ideas or suggestions of what you would like to see, please reach out to be a part of the change.
The Story of our BLM Banner
In the Summer of 2020, Members of Highland Park Improvement Club eagerly created and installed a large Black Lives Matter banner on to the garden fence to show support for the rise of the movement and to acknowledge the long overdue attention to this human issue.
Soon after, the banner was stolen and destroyed; pieces were found on surrounding streets near HPIC. In early July, the West Seattle Blog covered the story and asked for the community to keep an eye out and give any information they had regarding the theft. A local sign shop owner saw the article and graciously offered to make a replacement banner. He thoughtfully made two banners, just in case there was another theft.
The new banner was hung on the fence but vandalized with graffiti soon after. The third banner was also destroyed; sliced in a few places that were able to be repaired and re-hung, but then once again, shredded beyond repair.
With this more permanent attempt at a show of support we acknowledge that we continue to proudly believe that Black Lives Matter and that we refuse to succumb to the fear of destruction. HPIC stands proudly with the BIPOC community.
The Highland Park Improvement Club (HPIC) – the heart of our community since 1919.
HPIC belongs to our neighborhood and is powered by volunteers.
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Highland Park Action Committee: All volunteer & not for profit. Our role is to be an advocate for Highland Park and to affect positive change in our neighborhood. Currently meeting via Zoom. Check our website https://hpacinfo.wordpress.com/ or email hpacchair@gmail.com.