The overview
The grant comes courtesy of another Houston nonprofit, The Elkins Foundation, according to a Feb. 1 news release. It will help chapel officials fund Phase 2 of a $35 million restoration and expansion effort called Opening Spaces. The chapel is located at 3900 Yupon St., Houston.
Digging in
Phase 1 of the campaign wrapped up in 2020 and included the restoration of the site's chapel building.
Four years later, officials now said they are looking to start construction on Phase 2 in the first quarter of 2024. When Phase 2 is completed in 2026, new elements will include:
- A meditation garden
- A guest bungalow, which will serve as a dedicated housing space for chapel speakers and fellows
- An administration and archives building
- A program center
In addition to restoring the chapel, the Opening Spaces campaign was launched with the goal of creating more indoor and outdoor multiuse spaces that can be used for programming and community gatherings, according to the release.
What they're saying
“This transformational master plan will allow us to create new and enhanced facilities that reflect the chapel’s role as a premier cultural, spiritual and human rights institution, while facilitating the responsible stewardship of the extraordinary art and historic architecture in the chapel’s care," said Christopher Rothko, chair of the Opening Spaces campaign, in a statement. "We are greatly appreciative of this generous grant from The Elkins Foundation and its support in achieving these goals.”
Before you go
Officials have raised $24.5 million of the $35 million goal as of Feb. 1, with past contributors including the Houston Endowment, The Brown Foundation and The Cullen Foundation, among others. Learn more about the campaign here.
