CTCSC Relocation Task Force Recommends TWU Campus
In our ctcumc.org report from May 8 we told you that the Central Texas Conference Service Center Relocation Task Force (try fitting that on a T-Shirt or logo) was days away from making its final recommendation as to where to move the Conference Service Center (CTCSC). That recommendation has been made to and accepted by the CTC Board of Trustees; and that recommendation is that the service center moves into a new building being erected on the expanded campus of Texas Wesleyan University. The expanded campus at TWU is a cornerstone of a multi-million revitalizaiton project in east Fort Worth.The Board of Trustees has issued its formal recommendation to the Annual Conference (as stated in the Addendum to the Preliminary Journal) to approve the move.
Just as it served well to remind us of the wilderness journey we’ve been on since 2007 that got us to this recommendation, here is a little more background as to what went into the task force’s decision to recommend TWU.
The relocation task force explored and reviewed 17 existing church sites, 23 commercial office buildings 
and myriad parcels of undeveloped land with an eye on building a new structure. Each site was reviewed with the following requirements as set forth by the Annual Conference, the Board of Trustees and Bishop Lowry (the following are not in order of importance).
and myriad parcels of undeveloped land with an eye on building a new structure. Each site was reviewed with the following requirements as set forth by the Annual Conference, the Board of Trustees and Bishop Lowry (the following are not in order of importance).- Proximity and availability to largest number of conference churches
- Abundant access to necessary technology and communications resources
- Operational efficiency
- Ease of access and compliance with ADA laws
- Adaptability and Affordability
- Approximately 15,000 – 18,000 sq. ft.
Adequate meeting, training and worship space- Maximum of one hour from a major airport
- Adequate parking
- Near-by restaurants and hotels
In addition to the guidelines above, it was also a goal of the task force to select a new location for the CTCSC without the need for a conference-wide capital funds campaign. None of the sites reviewed met all of the above guidelines and requirements.
One of the building sites considered was on the campus of TWU. While that initial building was rejected along with the others, an additional option – a plan to build a new building on the expanded campus – was brought forth.
During a number of exploratory conversations between the president of the Board of Trustees and the president of Texas Wesleyan University, it became obvious that the possibility of moving the CTCSC into a new building on the expanded TWU campus would have tangible benefits for both the conference and the school as well as create unique synergies between the CTC, TWU and the United Methodist Church.
Please look to ctcumc.org next week for more on the official resolution to Annual Conference that the Conference Service Center relocate to TWU.