The Red Cedar Zen Community Has a New Home

On Monday, August 15 at 5 PM, RCZC Board president Joden Bob Rose received the keys for the building 2509 Cedarwood Avenue. 

After nearly two years of probing every corner of Bellingham during an intense and dynamic real estate market, a building that met nearly all of our search criteria became unexpectedly available.  Of interest a few months earlier, we believed it had sold.  But that sale fell through and by a series of remarkable circumstances, our offer was accepted in early July.  Now that this purchase has been recorded, Our Journey Home can pause as a new era of settling and care begins for our sangha.  

And, if you are available, Please join us on Sunday from 1-3 PM for an Open House with light refreshments.  

A few brief facts to note:

• Purchase price was $775,000 with the seller holding a Promissory Note on a balance of $620,000.    
• The two-story 3,550 sq. ft. building is about 40 years old with a front lawn area that can be enclosed as private garden space.  It has been a CPA office for the past 35 years.
• The ground floor is about 2100 sq. ft. and the upstairs about 1450 sq. ft. 
• Two ADA bathrooms on the ground floor 
• The lower east wing office is occupied by an accounting firm that wants to expand its office and occupy the entire top floor.  This will provide a steady rental income to offset some of our projected monthly obligation.
• The Green Line #50 bus from downtown stops 1 block away on Northwest Avenue.
• It has a paved parking lot .
• Access to the Squalicum Beach and Bay to Baker Trail is a minute from the front door.
• Easy driving access from I-5 from either the Northwest Avenue or Meridian exit.

What’s Next?

• The Board has appointed a Design Committee (Bob Rose, Heidi Epstein, Bob Penny, and Robin Kucklick) to evaluate the current interior and exterior configurations.  The committee will make recommendations to the board about how to best arrange the available spaces to meet sangha needs: Zendo, dokusan rooms, library, cooking  and dining facilities, office space and classrooms.   
• Develop a schedule of meetings to receive sangha input and review the possible ways to address our integrated set of needs, considering our available budget and best use of sangha resources. 
• From that evaluation develop a proposal (with architectural and engineering support) to submit to the city for a change in use permit to make this office building into a religious gathering space with appropriate fire and emergency safety measures.
• Engage a contractor to build out the board- approved improvements/ modifications  
• Provide opportunities for sangha members to offer labor dana to create our agreed upon vision of this consecrated space

Note: If you can’t make the open house, you can see pictures of the building here   https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/2509-Cedarwood-Ave-Bellingham-WA/25754442/