An End To The Quick-Build KH?

by Englishman 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  Englishman

  I've just been talking with a recently departed dub elder. He tells me that the WTBTS are becoming very wary of lending money for KH "quick-builds". He says that, in the UK at least, there are brothers who act as building inspectors who have been appointed by the society to make sure that any new KH being built comes up to certain minimum standards before the society will part with any mortgaged money.

  This, he says, has brought to an end the era of the quickie partly pre-fabricated Kingdom Hall, so beloved of the local news conscious dubbies. The society refuse to finance them any more, it's basically bricks and mortar or nothing!

  If anyone can add more info to this I'd appreciate it.

  Englishman
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  Valis

  I remember Gadget telling me about his congo, who decided to just start saving their own moenies for a hall instead of dealing w/UK Bethel...I'm betting he can tell you more...and recently I passed by my old hall and it is no wonder the dubs in charge don't want any part of it...my old hall is getting delapidated and the paint was peeling...

  Sincerely,

  District Overbeer
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  wasasister

  I was involved with the Quick Build activity in the late 80's and early 90's in the US. The original idea was to save costs and publisher hours by consolidating building to two or three days. It really was impressive in its day.

  However, I think there are two factors which may have made Headquarters phase out this type of building:

  One - growth has slowed to the point where Kingdom Halls in some locations are being sold or consolidated

  Two - problems arose with the building integrity months or years after they were built. One KH I was involved with had a major crack in the concrete foundation develop causing expensive repairs.

  I think we've seen the end of that program, at least in the US and UK.
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  blondie

  If there is an end to quick-builds (at least those financed by the WTS), it will be because the money flow is drying up. In the US if a congo borrows from the WTS, the plan has to be approved by the Regional Building Committee and all building codes must be followed. In this area, they are inspected each step of the way by non-JW government employees.
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  upside/down

  While in SoCal we tried to borrow money from the WTS for a new center of indoctrination er Hall. We needed 3 million for a "modest" spot, no joke. The WTS told us to take a flying leap. I mean those bastards at WTS wanted us to sell our B'mers and 'cedes and not take our 2 cruises per year (with other Dubs of course), just to build a hall. I dont think so!!!!

  During that time we had a congregation garage sale (not sanctioned by "mother") to raise money to send to Guatemala to buid a hall there for $6,000.00 (US) as we knew some missionaries from there and they asked if we could help. We raised around $600 bucks. What an F'n reproach. I guess Jehovah didn't provide (it was probably those damn Guatemalan brothers, they must have had "hiddin" sins).

  J showed them!

  u/d
• 

  Simon

  The society doesn't want to own cheap buildings - it would rather the brothers paid for some decent real-estate for it to own !

  The quick-builds are probably all falling down now
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  blondie

  I don't know about other areas but the "quick-builds" in this area are still standing and are well-built. It all depends on the construction skill of the JWs in an area. Lots of brothers in construction around here.

  Blondie
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  wednesday

  Same here Blondie, the Dallas Ft Worth area is big construction area so our buildings are still standing. Some may need maintaince, ie painting, but all building need that. and as far as concrete cracking, man that is a hazard in Texas anyhow. Our ground literally cracks like an earthquake had happened.
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  roybatty

  The quick-build I was involved in some 7 or 8 years ago went smoothly but the end result was the worst looking building in the area. In order to save costs (per the regional building commitee) we didn't put in any windows, install fake wood doors, magazine counter was made from plywood, garage door color didn't match the rest of the building (probably got donated). The worst thing though, is that people who never touched a stone in their lives laid the brick walls. It looks like shit. Esp. at night time when they turn on the outside lights. One can see how uneven the walls are. Now I see they must have needed some additional storage space. They just put up shed next to the Hall. It appears they tried to match the roof line and the overall design of the Hall but, like everything else, it looks like volunteers put it up.

  Good luck trying to ever sell that property!
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  wasasister

  I live in an area where lots of brothers, and yes even sisters, are in the construction trades.

  One of the last "kick-off" meetings I went to was at the Puyallup Assembly Hall. The brother in charge introduced the committee heads - plumbing, electric, roofing, etc. The head of one of the departments was a sister who owned a business. I was blown away by his comment:

  "This is not a teaching assignment, brothers...so if a sister is in charge of your department, headship goes out the window."

  I thought maybe I misremembered this, but recently when talking to another person who was there, they remembered it exactly.

  Although there was a brother who was technically "in charge" of accounting, I did most of the job-costing because I was the only one who had a working knowledge of the Excel spreadsheet they were using. For a brief, shining moment, I thought things might change. But Monday morning, it was back to business as usual.