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Federation Star
JEWISH FEDERATION
November 2020
Capital Campaign spotlight Q&A about the new building with Marc Saperstein
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ending his considerkitchen and sufficient parking Jewish Federation tend to have their highIn October, we rolled out the Capital able career experience for at least 175 cars. est in-season activity at counter cyclical Campaign to the entire community, to spearhead the capital Q. What did you consider hours and days, it looked like an excellent mailing more than 3,300 brochures to campaign building project, as the best location for a larger fit from a traffic flow standpoint. all Jewish Federation members. We held Marc Saperstein and his wife of facility? Q. What arrangement has been two Zoom presentations to update the 48 years, Joan, split their time A. After reviewing the worked out between Temple Shalom and community and will continue to have between Milwaukee, Wisconsin results of the Brandeis UniJewish Federation? monthly articles on the project in this and Naples. versity study, we determined A. After we jointly received an paper. Professionally, Saperstein that 30% of our community appraisal on the property, Temple Shalom Q. Why does the project require rezonretired from General Electric lived in lower Lee County or decided it would rather lease than sell ing the property? after a 33-year career with the Marc Saperstein Marco Island. We also knew the land. A letter of intent was negotiA. The site needs to be rezoned from company, during which he held human that many new residential communities ated, which the vast majority of Temple residential use, to one compatible with resources positions in nearly every major were being developed east of I-75. Thus, Shalom members and the entire Jewish Temple Shalom’s approved usage on its GE business, including aircraft engines, the area between U.S. 41 and Logan Federation Board of Directors supported. developed tracts where the synagogue, appliances, entertainment, financial Blvd. and between Immokalee Road Temple Shalom graciously offered us school and parking lot are located. The services, power systems and transportaand Golden Gate Blvd. was identified as a 50-year lease with a 25-year renewal rezoning process requires the approval of tion. He also served as senior executive central to most of our community. option. This very generous offer made this the Collier County Board of Commisvice president of human resources and Our new planned home at Temple project financially viable. sioners, who will vote on our applications communications for NBC and, later, Shalom is close to this “sweet spot,” avoids Q. How were the architect, civil on Nov. 10. NBC Universal. the heavy in-season traffic west of I-75 engineers, design firm and other key Q. What is your expected timing to Saperstein was GE’s first vice president and collocates us on the same campus as consultants selected? start construction? of corporate citizenship, responsible for the largest synagogue in Greater Naples. A. All the consultants and potential A. In addition to seeking rezoning the company’s overall volunteer initiatives Q. What options did you consider in partners considered went through a approval, we are concurrently going and for developing its innovative $20M+ looking for a larger facility? rigorous process of interviews, reference through the site development and permitphilanthropic effort to bring enhanced ting approval processes, which we hope health care to Africa. to complete by the end of January 2021. Since retiring in 2007, he has served Construction would then commence in on the BBYO International Board of February and should be completed by the Directors. Locally, he initiated and end of December, allowing us to open the co-chairs BBYO Naples, is the current new Jewish Cultural Center in January or secretary of the Contessa condominium February 2022. board of directors and is vice chair of Q. Who has been working on this the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples project over the past two years? (JFGN) board of directors. A. We have a very engaged Building We asked Saperstein some questions Committee that meets monthly with our about the new building, the answers for architect, James Knafo, Project Vice-chair which are shared below. Merlin Lickhalter and me. We have a Q. Where did the idea for a new Jewish small Temple Shalom/Jewish Federation Federation building come from? subcommittee—Ed Alexander, Ed A. In early 2016, it was clear that the Kaufman, Deborah Fidel, Jane Schiff, expanding number of programs offered Jeffrey Feld and me—working on security, by the Jewish Federation and its stakeparking, landscaping and other areas of holders required far more room than the mutual concern. We have the full support 4,000 square feet of office and community and involvement of the Temple Shalom space it had to offer. In November 2016, A. We worked with Investment Propchecks and comparative project quotes. leadership and the Jewish Federation the JFGN board of directors held two THE ertiesJEWISH Corporation, a well-regarded All key consultants recommended by the ROOM Board of Directors. FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES BUILDING COMMUNITY visioning sessions to develop a five-year commercial real estate broker in Naples, core project team were also reviewed and We have retained well-regarded local strategic plan. One of the key elements to identify potential options. Four approved by the Jewish Federation Board rezoning and legal consultants to guide us of those sessions was finding a new facilapproaches were explored: land to build, of Directors. through this complex and time-consum W E G M A N D E S I G N G R O U P ity with space for the growing needs of key existing facility to renovate, new or existQ. What is the overall project going ing process. Our construction manager, stakeholders (MCA, WCA, Jewish Book ing space to lease and commercial condo to cost? DeAngelis Diamond, has been involved in Festival, BBYO and the Federation staff.). space, such as the Holocaust Museum A. Current cost estimates for the entire our planning from the beginning to assure This was confirmed by a demographic found. We looked at approximately 40 project, including site development, the their input on the best value engineered study conducted by Brandeis University properties over a four-month period in building, security, landscaping, furniture, design possible. Wegman Design Group, in mid-2017. 2017 and came up empty, because they consultant costs and county fees, are our interior designers, have done many Q. How did you determine how much were in the wrong location, had insufbetween $8.2 and $8.6 million. However, large, well-recognized projects locally space was needed? ficient parking and/or were not large we are still working through our reviews and have been great partners. Finally, A. We met with our key stakeholders enough. Several large, vacant buildings with Collier County, which could increase our key stakeholders have been involved to determine their current and future were considered, but those landlords only our cost projections. Final project cost will throughout the process as well, given their needs for space. The results suggested wanted retail businesses. not be known until mid-December, when members will be the primary users of our that we needed at least 18,000 sq. ft. to Q. How did Temple Shalom’s property we receive our “guaranteed maximum new building. accommodate program and membership come under consideration? price” from our construction manager, Q. What are some of the other aspects growth as well as that of the overall Jewish A. Rabbi Miller and I were meeting, DeAngelis Diamond, after formal bidding of this project that you feel the community Community of Greater Naples. and he asked how the property search was of all the project elements. should know about? Q. What were the biggest needs that going. When I expressed my disappointQ. How will this project be paid for? A. From a security standpoint, we were identified by the key stakeholders? ment with the available options we had A. We have a Capital Campaign have utilized both the Collier County A. They wanted a large community seen, he mentioned that Temple Shalom underway to cover the costs of the projSheriff ’s Office and a security consulting room with flexible seating for close to 400 had 4.3 acres of undeveloped land west ect and to create an endowment to help firm associated with Jewish Federations attendees, a large board room accommoof its parking lot that we should concover operating costs. We have had a very of North America to develop our plans. dating 25-30 participants, two additional sider. This land met our space needs and successful “quiet phase” of the Capital The building will have extensive secuconference rooms, flexible program space location requirements. Shared parking Campaign, which has resulted in more rity aspects, including a badging system for up to 75 participants, a teen lounge addressed both organization’s needs, with than $7 million in commitments from to enter. Members will be required to and office, a minimum of eight staff approximately 380 combined spaces. 65 donors, thus we are more than halfway wear their badges, with their names and continued on page 3 offices, plenty of storage space, a caterer’s In addition, since Temple Shalom and towards our goal of $14 million!
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