Program and Needs

Its great to hear from Eric, I think the project is off to a good start. Just to make things easy, the questions I'll be asking are in bold/italics. The first phase of the project is figuring out what exactly we need in terms of space.

Current program:
(taken from memory, please correct me if its wrong- also if you knew the approximate square footages, or had the blueprints that would be helpful)

1. Banquet hall (209 person)
2. Pub
   
3. service areas for both (storage, bathrooms, kitchen, refrigeration)
4. offices
5. entrance space
6. parking

Next, I've thought about some additions based just on the activities that go on at the club.

1. larger office spaces
2. music/dance classrooms
3. outdoor space (sport fields, grill, space for music festival)
4. brewing facilities
5. interactive museum space
6. improved office/ conference space
7. areas for meeting/tea room
   

Here are some local Irish organizations in the area you may have been to that have examples of different program.

1. Irish cultural center at Elms College (http://www.irish-cairde.org/#) - film series, music events, lectures, exhibits
2. Irish Cultural Center of New England (http://www.irishculture.org/) - performance space, large patio for functions, library/genealogy research center, 47 acres of land/sports fields/bridge, authentic Irish thatched cottage
3. Sons of Erin club, West Springfield (http://www.sonsoferin.com/index.php) field for sports, outdoor pavilion/grill

What kinds of facilities would you like to see at the new JBO?
(what makes an Irish community center different than another nationality's?)

Hopefully the blog mission statement explains everything, but if you have any questions please feel free to ask. One of the first things to clear up is that this project is purely hypothetical, Its really just an extremely thorough academic exercise. This being said though, it will be definitely more than a hired architect would commonly do, so I believe that my document (developed from your input) will be helpful for the future of the club.

To me, this project is about the importance of the JBO and the role it plays in the community and Irish tradition of Western Mass. Coming from an Irish family myself, I understand the importance of meeting together in celebration of our culture and understanding the journey it took to get there. This project is somewhat of a dedication to the pints shared with friends, the laughs with family, and the people I haven't met yet but can share the bond of proudly being Irish.

That being said, this project will be more than just rooms for things to happen in, it will be a space where activity, culture, history, and space come together- enhancing the experiences and lives of the people who enter it. Needless to say I'm very excited to get this thing going and I hope this will be as beneficial to you as it is interesting to me.

Thanks, Andrew