OPEN DOOR – Project Scope

Total project: $1,100,000.00

  • Funded as of 8/1/23: $101,353.65

Work remaining

  1. To tear down and replace the foyer (entrance) to the chapel. Increase the footprint of the foyer and have double door, glass entrances on both the south and north sides. All entrances will be ADA compliant. Parking places at the entrance will be designated handicap parking.
  2. To install a new HVAC system for the foyer with cooling vents installed at the rear wall of the chapel.
  3. To add a slurry seal to the asphalt on the south side of the chapel (the property facing Granite Creek Road) and restripe the parking spots.
  4. Our scope covers the contract with our general contractor, architect, appropriate engineering services, contingencies and city permits.
Work completed
  1. Brought entry ways to Youth Center, Culwell Den and pass-through Hallway up to ADA standards. Replaced the side entrance doors to the Youth Center with glass doors.
  2. Changed the exterior of the south side of the chapel, and the three exterior sides of the foyer from stucco to board & batten and repainted.
  3. Remodeled the men’s and women’s bathrooms in the Wallace Building. This includes new flooring, fixtures, walls and stalls. The bathrooms have been updated to ADA standards.
  4. Remodeled the kitchen and extended its length by eliminating the storage closet used by the school. Created new entrances to the kitchen to discourage people from walking straight through the kitchen. Reconfigured plumbing and electrical. Replaced the flooring, lighting, gas range, counters, lighting, sinks and shelving.
  5. Made the hallway bathroom ADA compliant with courtyard entrance.
  6. Relocated the tech/sound booth within the walls of the chapel.
  7. Installed a weatherproof covering over the courtyard. Replaced gutters, stucco and painted the Children’s Wing, Youth Center and Culwell Den.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the campaign title, “Open Door” come from?

An open door communicates an environment that is inviting and welcoming to all – an “arms wide open” entrance that has no barriers to overcome and is open to all. All includes the elderly and those with special needs which ADA compliance will achieve. Ultimately, an open door to the Gospel message is our desire, for we have the words of life which people who live here today, and the people who will live here tomorrow, need to hear. At present, our first impression to the community does not represent the adoration we feel toward our awesome God.

  • Mark 1:33 The whole town gathered at the door,
  • Colossians 4:3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ,
  • Revelation 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
What is our motivation for this project?

First: God is moving at GateWay. Attendance and engagement continue to grow and we are expanding parking on Sunday mornings to Enterprise in order to accommodate this growth. Because of the addition of the courtyard upgrades, we can accommodate seating for what once took two services. We still have the ability to add another service and will do so when needed. For the first time in our history there are 247 people involved in a small group.  With over 550 people now actively involved in the life of the church it’s clear that God is breathing new life into our congregation.

Second: We believe that our church building is one of the most important buildings in Scotts Valley; but it does not look like it. It is a gathering place where new life in Christ begins, lives are transformed, and souls are reunited with their Creator. We are the largest evangelical, protestant church in North Santa Cruz County and yet we have a building with no defined entrance and one that is seriously outdated (60+ years old). It was built at a time when Scotts Valley was a “sleeper town” and it fit in with community standards at the time. Think of the difference today in modern commercial and public buildings as compared to buildings from the 1960’s. Buildings today have much higher standards: coffee shops, movie theaters, libraries, schools, grocery stores, gas stations and so forth. Standards that communicate relevancy and value to the end user. We want a building that announces to our community that we are open, inviting, and have a message relevant to their lives. We want entry ways, bathrooms and a kitchen that represents the 2020’s in appearance, functionality, and especially ADA accessibility. Adhering to the American Disabilities Act makes our chapel, bathrooms, Culwell Den, kitchen, and Youth Center more accessible to all people; the elderly as well as those with special needs. This is a compassionate update that we absolutely must make.

Third: The generations who came before us sacrificed greatly to provide a 6-acre campus, including all church and school buildings, and zero debt. We long to bless those coming after us with an updated campus that God can use to continue to reach this community. The foyer represents the first building ever to be torn down and replaced. Over the past 20 years, several campus improvements have been made (purchase of the dirt parking lot, removal of the Sun Room, tree removal, remodel of the Culwell Den, remodel of the Youth Center, remodel of our children’s rooms and children’s bathroom, and remodel of the church office) but never have we made such a significant improvement to our main building – the chapel. Just as our campus is being renovated, we see God renovating His people as well and preparing the church for the future of making Him known in our community.

When will construction begin and end?

The Open Door renovation began in 2020. The work of the foyer has been delayed due to planning review, a contractor change and construction costs. Construction on the foyer is slated to begin mid-March 2023 and end by August 31, 2023.

How much will finishing the “Open Door Project” cost and how did we arrive at that number?

The cost to finish the Open Door Project is estimated at $1,100,000.00. (A through D listed under question #1.) To date we have invested $544,465.00 in this project. As of February 2023, we have $898,625.00 set aside which includes income from cash donations, a family trust inheritance and funds transferred from our general fund. To fully fund this project, we need to raise an additional $201,374.00 by the end of August 2023. As is true with all donations, cash or in-kind, all Open Door donations are fully tax-deductible. Online giving is enabled.

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And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ
(Colossians 4:3).