Sacramento Dharma Center

We are planning to have an open house during the afternoon of June 14th at the proposed location for the Dharma Center. We are busy with inspections now and if all goes well we hope to see you then. We did a walk through with architect Mike Malinowski last Monday which was definitely an eye opener for what it will mean to purchase and care for an older building. On Friday some of the Board members accompanied a contractor who provided additional much needed information and will supply us with a written report. A termite inspection was also done on Friday. Board members went through both buildings checking outlets, lighting, heating and air conditioning units. We are reviewing a year’s worth of  operating costs for the facility as well. Several inspections yet to come, including but not limited to the roof, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and sewer.

We now have the final purchase agreement for the property at 3240 B Street! Our broker received the signed agreement this morning, May 2. We will put down a refundable deposit with the escrow company by Monday. This starts the 45 day contingency period in which we will determine if this is the right space for our Dharma Center home.

We will begin inspections next week, and work with architect  Mike Malinowski, with a view to how well the space will accommodate the Sustaining Sanghas and support the Center’s mission to provide a sanctuary where our practice will flourish. We will have an open house near the end of the contingency period. We hope you can come, stay tuned for details. If everything goes well during the contingency period we will move into a 60 day escrow.

We need your support now more than ever. Sustaining Circle monthly donations will provide the funds we will need to maintain this property and fulfill the dream of a sanctuary for meditation based Buddhist practice in Sacramento. Visit our contribute page now and join us in this adventure.

After weeks of negotiation we have signed a purchase agreement with the sellers of the Armenian Church property at 3240 B Street. The church has a sanctuary, large social hall, and a small one bedroom house, all on a nice double lot in a residential area near McKinley Park.

The paperwork will be filed early next week with the escrow company and we will put down a refundable deposit. This will start a 45 day contingency period in which we will carry out inspections of the property to ensure that this is the right place for our Dharma Center home. We have an architect, Mike Malinowski, who has experience with older structures. Mike will tour the property with us next week and begin the process of thoroughly evaluating what we are getting ourselves into.

Board members of the three founding Sustaining Sanghas have been through the building and we are working to determine how well the space will accommodate everyone and support the Center’s mission to provide a home and sanctuary where the wisdom and compassion practices of the Buddha will flourish.

We will have an open house near the end of the 45 day contingency period and we hope many of you will be able to come. Stay tuned! If everything goes well during the contingency period we will move into a 60 day escrow.

We need your support now more than ever. We have done a lot of financial modeling but this has been done with estimates. Now we will be able to get specific operating costs, know what repairs and improvements are needed, and determine our actual continuing operating budget. This much we know now, we will need consistent monthly donations from between 150 to 200 donors averaging $25 a month. We are calling these donors the Sustaining Circle. You can set up a Sustaining Circle donation here on the website contribute or donations pages. If you need more information any one of the SDC Board of Directors will be happy to answer any questions. Send us an email from the contact page.

This is an exciting time for the greater Sacramento Sangha and we want you to be a part of this, together we can create a wonderful home for our practice, and a legacy for the next generation.

 

Please become a partner and join our Sustaining Circle by pledging to make a monthly donation that reflects your enthusiasm and support for our vision. We are pleased to announce that you can now set up monthly donations on the website.

The Buddhist Center and sanctuary we hope to create may be located at 3240 B Street, the former home of St. James Armenian Apostolic Church which recently went on the market! We are currently negotiating a purchase agreement with the seller of the property. If and when the agreement is signed it will begin a contingency period where we will explore the possibility that the site will meet the needs of all three Founding Sanghas, where they have a dedicated sanctuary and meeting place for programs, classes and retreats.

This is all possible because of your generosity! The Capital Campaign gave us a foundation for beginning our building search. Recently we began working with some generous Sangha members who are willing to form a loan pool. This made it possible to enter negotiations in good faith in the commercial real estate market, and make an offer on this property.

We enter this process with the understanding that it is another opportunity for practice, testing our commitment to “embrace the practice of mindfulness and the cultivation of generosity, ethical conduct, compassion and wisdom. With the intention to benefit the whole community…”.

Welcome to our new website we hope you enjoy it. We needed to upgrade our website in order integrate a calendar as well as other features that will enhance your experience on the site. We will also be able to facilitate online donations. By the end of the week you will be able to make one time donations and/or set up monthly donations right here on the site. We just have a few more integration steps to take and we will be ready to go.