September 2018
D I G E S T
The Official Publication of the Kiawah Island Community Association
Message From COO Jimmy Bailey
I hope this message finds
you well, and enjoying the
last few weeks of summer.
It seems like children go
back to school earlier each
year, with my three already
in the throes of homework
and after school activities.
It’s been an adjustment at
my house, but we really do
crave the consistent routine
of the school year. We know we need more seating and shade by the new pool,
members crave a return of the lending library, and we still have
more demand than space at The Sandcastle for community
events (though Beachwalker Center has available capacity).
We are working on these things, but are mindful of the fact
that we’ve paid for this project with no additional assessments.
Our budget projections currently indicate that construction
costs, inclusive of several unavoidable change orders of around
$300,000, will come in slightly less than the original estimate,
while third-party inspection and oversight fees are higher than
anticipated. The total project is expected to be completed for
between 3-5% higher than the original estimate.
Speaking
of
routine,
ours at KICA is starting
to feel normal again. As
planned, we reopened The
Sandcastle on July 3, and welcomed members back to a host
of improvements. Most of you have followed our progress, so
I won’t bore you with excruciating detail. For a more in depth
review of the renovation scope as well as some pictures, please
view past issues of the KICA Digest at kica.us/digest or KICA's
Facebook page at facebook.com/kiawahislandsc. One of the highlights associated with our reopening has
been KICA’s new partnership with Cru Catering, and their
involvement with the Castle Grille and Sandbar. Members have
raved about the quality of the food and beverage offerings, and
sales numbers confirm what we’ve heard. During the first 30
days of operations, sales were 79% higher than the same 30 day
period in 2017, which had been a record year up to that point. As
the summer season winds down, KICA will discuss an ongoing
relationship with Cru. In the meantime, Cru owner and chef
John Zucker offered the following: “Having the opportunity to
increase the level of food, beverage and service at The Sandcastle
was a challenge Cru Catering was looking forward to tackling.
Working with the wonderful KICA staff has made the process
much easier than anticipated. We hope that we are representing
KICA and its members positively. Thank you from Cru Catering
and our staff for the opportunity!”
For those who have been able to visit, you’ve likely noticed
that there are some elements of the project still underway
(most significant being the new bathhouse and boardwalk 8B).
A top priority from the beginning was to meet an extremely
aggressive timeline (close Oct. 25 and reopen July 3). This
timeline meant we had to prioritize those things absolutely
necessary to reopen, and those that could continue after we
were operational. Fortunately, all the crucial elements were
done by the deadline, and the feedback from our membership
has been overwhelmingly positive. For too many years, we did
not take advantage of our oceanfront location, and the building
itself had become dated and insufficient for the variety of uses,
including fitness, pool and beach experience, and community
meeting space. We’ve made dramatic improvements in those
key areas, in addition to some critical functionality with brand
new mechanicals, a new roof, and an expanded parking lot.
We’ve identified and received member input on punch list
items, as well as a few areas where adjustments are needed.
Community Engagement Sessions and Strategic Planning
I’d also like to provide some important information on ways you
can share your perspective on the direction of the community.
During KICA’s annual strategic planning retreat in January, the
board’s consensus was that the existing strategic plan remained
relevant, and concluded that there weren’t obvious additions or
deletions. However, it determined that the entire community
should weigh in on this important topic. The strategic plan
provides broad direction for the board, and guidance to the
staff in operational planning.
Accordingly, all KICA members are invited to join us for a Kiawah
Community Conversation. These
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