Appleton - Mustang Island Conference Center, Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

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THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF WEST TEXAS

MUSTANG ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTER 2

A Message from The Rt. Rev. Gary R. Lillibridge, Bishop Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Since its inception in 1999, Mustang Island Conference Center has become an increasingly important part of our ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. New Spiritual offerings, events and programs -- such as our diocesan family camps -- have been born and have become vital to our community life because the Center offers a venue where these programs may flourish. The Conference Center has also contributed in wonderful ways to our ability to offer a place of rest, refreshment, and relaxation to a world that sorely

needs to slow down and rediscover those things that are the very fabric of a healthy society. For many, Mustang Island Conference Center has become a sacred place, a place where people can experience the presence of a loving and encouraging God. The Center is a gift, not only to the Diocese of West Texas, but also to non-profit groups from across South Texas and the United States. The expansion of the Center's housing facilities will allow us to broaden this ministry of holy hospitality. With current housing, the Center is limited in the number of people it can influence and serve. Your generous gift, however, will partner with us in reaching out to others and changing lives with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Thank you for the opportunity to share this good work with you, and for your consideration of these wonderful opportunities. Faithfully, Gary R. Lillibridge



TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 4 History of the Development Program Page 5 Mustang Island Conference Center: How It Began and Where We Stand Today Page 6 Statement of Need Page 7 Those Who Benefit Page 10 Environmental Aspects Page 12 Goals and Ultimate Impact In Conclusion Page 14 Supplemental Information Page 15 Diocese Facts in Brief and How to Make a Donation Page 17 Donor Giving Levels and Recognition Opportunities Page 18 Measuring Our Success, Development Board, Volunteer Support, and Key Staff Page 22 Phase II Master Site Plan for Mustang Island Conference Center Page 23 Mustang Island Conference Center Construction Budget Page 24 Richter Architects “Environmental and Economic Balance” Article Page 29 List of (Previous) Contributors to Phase I Page 32 Map of Counties Included in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas Page 33 IRS Letter of Non-profit Status



HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF WEST TEXAS

In 1874, Bishop Robert W. B. Elliott came to Texas as the first head of the Missionary District of Western Texas. Working with only seven priests and two deacons, he brought to this vast territory a sense of faith, assurance, and determination. In a region barely emerging from the frontier era, he established a foothold for the church from which the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas would emerge. Today, we are 27,000 faithful, spread across 60 counties and 69,000 square miles in 91 churches and 27 schools. The population of the area served by our Diocese now

numbers over four million people. The challenges facing us are unmistakable. We live in a region that is undergoing rapid cultural and spiritual transformation, a place where many cultures converge to breed both hope and uncertainty. Recognizing the diversity that is our gift in this part of Texas, we are called to craft a new sense of mission. The development of Mustang Island Conference Center is an important step toward making such opportunities available to all who seek them. In 1999, the Diocesan Development Program embarked upon a campaign to raise $12,100,000, of which Mustang Island Conference Center received $2,800,000. This goal was attained through the generosity of many individuals, families, foundations, and congregations. Now we begin Phase II with a Diocesan-wide goal of $18,700,000, which includes Mustang Island Conference Center next goal of $5,414,000.



MUSTANG ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTER: HOW IT BEGAN AND WHERE WE STAND TODAY

The dream to create a true conference center on the Gulf Coast began more than 35 years ago. As time passed and the pace of secular life accelerated, the Diocese determined a clear need to provide a venue for dialogue, reflection, and contemplation open to the faithful of all denominations and non-profit service organizations. The Diocese envisioned Mustang Island Conference Center as a place that promotes healing for people of all ages, and one that provides a safe and comfortable venue for this important activity. In 1994, this vision became a reality when the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas received a generous gift of 22 acres of beachfront property on Mustang Island from the Fischer family of Corpus Christi. This gift was used to build the long-anticipated conference center. A master plan for developing Mustang Island Conference Center was commissioned in 1997 from the highly regarded architectural firm Richter Architects of Corpus Christi, and the initial funding of $2,800,000 was secured. Ground was broken for the new center in 1999, and Phase I of the master plan was completed in 2003. This first development phase included two 12-room housing units, the main building including kitchen, dining room, meeting rooms, offices, the main walkways, as well as the necessary mechanical buildings. Subsequently, through the generosity of Martha Peterson Bartberger, a $2,000,000 gift established a maintenance endowment specifically for our Diocesan camps conference centers, including Mustang Island Conference Center. Phase II of the development of The Mustang Island Conference Center is the next step toward fulfilling our master plan. This includes:



- Two new housing units to easily welcome and accommodate mid-size and large groups and double our housing capacity;

- An entry area with elevator, to more graciously host all guests, including those with disabilities;

- Additional meeting space to host multiple groups and to provide flexible options for group retreats and meetings;

- Separate housing for the Center director and family, to free them from cramped quarters that were not originally intended for this purpose;

- Safe, accessible and ample “green” parking areas to accommodate greater numbers of guests;

- Mechanical facilities to serve the new construction. Phase II requires raising $5,414,000 in charitable donations, as we strive to achieve the vision before us on Mustang Island.

STATEMENT OF NEED

Mustang Island Conference Center - situated in the midst of the rolling sand dunes and coastal grasses of Mustang Island on the southern Texas coast - serves as the venue for gatherings year-round of religious organizations of all denominations and also educational and non-profit organizations from across Texas and the United States. The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas considers its work at Mustang Island Conference Center to be “holy hospitality.” Today, demand for use of the Center by visitors has increased. This is good news. However, we find ourselves having to turn away organizations wishing to bring



larger numbers of guests. This is a situation we need to alleviate, and as soon as possible. Of particular concern to the Diocese is our inability to host larger gatherings and guests participating in highly effective spiritual renewal programs like Walk to Emmaus and Cursillo. As a result of Phase II, the addition of two residential housing units will equip the conference center to accommodate larger adult conferences. Additional housing capacity as well as multiple meeting spaces will increase the scope of available spaces to meet the broader range of needs of prospective groups that we are currently unable to accommodate due to our space limitations. Currently, the Center can facilitate 100 individuals, auditorium style, in the common area, but falls short in the capacity to house an adequate number of participants overnight. The existing guest housing units can accommodate 48 based on double occupancy; the proposed residential units will double the current occupancy. It is also our desire to increase meeting space; create safe, accessible parking; and to create a caretaker’s cottage specifically designed for this purpose.

THOSE WHO BENEFIT Many organizations benefit from Mustang Island Conference Center. Groups including clergy, civic leaders and campers of all denominations focus on strengthening their ministries and learning from one another. These groups spend intentional time in the presence of God discerning how their lives are being used to spread the gospel to those whom they encounter. For example, Cursillo weekends, held four times a year, are short courses in Christianity designed to equip the leaders of our church families to bring the Good News into the world. Time spent in retreat with God and community enriches the spiritual lives of participants. Ultimately, groups that send their employees and volunteers to Mustang Island strengthen their respective organizations and the communities they serve. Meetings hosted at the Center often focus on building leadership skills, refining organizational missions, building teamwork, and promoting operational success. The positive outcomes from the activities hosted at the Center are many. The Diocese believes the retreats held at the Center have a positive, ripple effect extending well beyond Mustang Island. Once the participants depart from the Center, they are better equipped succeed with their work, as they strive to make our world a better place for the benefit of all.



A partial list of Center guests includes the following. With more visitors wishing to participate, one can quickly grasp why Mustang Island Conference Center needs to grow.

• Asbury United Methodist Church • Bay Area Fellowship • Calallen High School 50th Reunion • Calvary Chapel of the Coastlands • Christian Family Camp (for

families of all Christian denominations)

• Christian Reformed Home Mission • CHRISTUS Spohn Health System

Chaplains’ Retreat • City of Port Aransas • Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation • Coastal Bend College • Congregation Beth Israel • Corpus Christi City Council • Council for the Deaf, Corpus

Christi • Covenant Baptist Church • Del Mar College • Easum, Bandy & Associates

Church Consultants • Emmaus Team • Epiphany Institute, South

Carolina • Episcopal Church Building Fund,

New York City • Executive Women International

(EWI) • First United Methodist Church,

Corpus Christi • First United Methodist Church,

Portland • Food Bank (Texas Association of

Second Harvest) • Gardendale Baptist • Junior League of Corpus Christi • Leadership Bee County • Leadership Corpus Christi • Men’s Fishing Group, Austin • Mission Presbytery

• The Nature Conservancy of Texas • Olirarri & Associates • Padre Island Business Association • Port Aransas City Council • Port Aransas Independent School

District • Rachel’s Vineyard Ministry • Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus

Christi • Sacred Heart Catholic Church,

Rockport Acts Retreats • The Southwestern Texas Synod in

the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

• Spaulding for Children Adoption Agency

• SPOHN South Leadership • St. Christopher’s Church, Bandera • Star Learners (educators) • St. Stephen Lutheran Church,

Portland • Sweet Adelines/Sparkling City

Chorus • Texans Can! (educators) • Texas A&M University-Corpus

Christi • Texas A&M University-Kingsville • Texas Coastal Bend Region

Tourism Council • United Methodist Church, Corpus

Christi, District Retreat • Unity by the Sea Church • UT Health Science Center-San

Antonio • Wabash Center for Teaching and

Learning in Theology and Religion, Indiana

• Walk to Emmaus Team #1322



What kinds of activities occur at Mustang Island Conference Center? A few examples include the following.

Texans Can!, a group whose mission is to provide a second chance for at-risk youth and their families to achieve economic independence and hope for a better life, come to learn how to better meet the needs of those they teach and serve. Easum, Bandy, and Associates lead five to six summits a year at Mustang Island Conference Center; these summits attract clergy from all over North America from a variety of denominations to receive training and enhance their ministry effectiveness. The mission of Easum, Bandy and Associates is to guide Christian leaders for ancient mission in the contemporary world. Summits planned for 2007 include Kicking Habits – Turnaround Church Training, Worship for the 21st Century, The Servant Empowering Organization and Leading Your Church to Explosive Growth.

Photograph courtesy of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning.

The Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, created and sustained by grants from the Eli Lilly Endowment Inc., seeks to strengthen and enhance education in North American theological schools, colleges and universities. The Wabash Center comes to the Gulf Coast to host programs that help build an enabling environment for teaching and learning. Workshops in 2007 have included an Asian workshop and a diversity workshop, Fostering Effective Teaching and Learning in Racially and Culturally Diverse Classrooms. The Southwestern Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has hosted their First Call retreat which focuses on pastors who are in their first few years of ministry, many of which are from smaller congregations. The First United Methodist Adult Ministry Planning Team has hosted several retreats at the conference center. Many retreats for ecumenical clergy, clergy spouses, men, women and parishes have benefited from the use of the conference center. Epiphany Institute will be hosting Leadership Development for the 21st Century Church in April, 2008. SOMA, Sharing Our Ministries Abroad, has hosted numerous gatherings from its



worldwide membership, bringing diverse board members, including Catholics and Protestants from Ireland, in search of common ground.

The only limitation to this beautiful conference center is in its capacity to serve larger groups. Groups frequently contact the

Center for a potential reservation simply to discover the number of existing housing units, capacity of breakout meeting areas, and parking limitations are inadequate for their group size and requirements. The University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio’s School of Nursing has outgrown our facility and can no longer enjoy our hospitality. Recently, the Community Food Security Coalition had to be turned away due to the lack of available housing and meeting space. These are just a sample of the many groups and organizations that we are unable to accommodate.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS Today, people of all ages are losing touch with nature as our world becomes more urban and business and informal communications become more electronic, requiring constant attention to computers and related work indoors. Texas is blessed to have large expanses of undeveloped land, the vast majority held by private landowners. In South Texas this forms what is called the “Last Great Habitat” for wildlife remaining in Texas and the United States. While private stewardship has helped maintain these vast expanses of land intact for the benefit of wildlife, access by the public is rare and limited. Hence, the need for facilities that allow public access like Mustang Island Conference Center – a complex that coexists peacefully with native wildlife and which preserves increasingly rare and endangered coastal prairie habitat - has become more critical than ever. Particularly today on Mustang Island, the construction of vacation homes and condominiums has escalated. Members of the staff of the Center have noticed an increase in visitation by area wildlife to the Diocese’s property and have recognized that wild creatures are increasingly seeking refuge there. This “refuge” is something the Diocese is happy to provide. Mustang Island Conference Center is designed to have minimal impact upon the surrounding pristine coastal environment. Sometimes, land development projects overpower the surrounding landscapes; however, this facility was specifically designed to exist harmoniously with the natural surroundings and to encourage visitors to appreciate the unique beauty of the natural environment. Approximately 94 percent of the property on which the Center sits will remain untouched. We have



an obligation to protect this natural environment and to be stewards of this beautiful land. Designed by Richter Architects, Corpus Christi, Mustang Island Conference Center received the Honor Award for Design Excellence from the Texas Society of Architects, a division of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), in 2002. The facility was also featured as a case study during the pioneering conference, “The 21st Century Outlook: Economic and Environmental Balance,” hosted in Miami in 1997 by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the American Institute of Architects. Virtually every aspect of the Center’s construction is environmentally friendly and involves the use of recycled materials. The facilities constructed on the site today, and those yet to be built, are considered “green” buildings for low environmental impact.

Hence, those who visit Mustang Island Conference Center are inspired not only by the important work undertaken during their time in retreat, but by the natural coastal environment, the Center’s foresighted construction, and the inherent respect for the environment the facility demonstrates. The Center has become well known as being one of the most notable sustainable development projects found in South Texas. Mustang Island Conference Center has been cited by faculty members of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi for this very fact (TAMUCC students are shown at left). In 2008, the Center has become the site of an ongoing summer ecology studies program hosted by Sewanee: The University of the South. The Diocese anticipates

additional environmental education activities will be undertaken at Mustang Island Conference Center. This supports the overall mission of the Environmental Stewardship Committee

of the Diocese, which is “dedicated to the conservation, sustainability and sacredness of God’s whole Creation.” The Committee’s mission extends throughout the 60 counties under the purview of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, and Mustang Island Conference Center is its flagship facility.



GOALS AND ULTIMATE IMPACT It is our goal that Mustang Island Conference Center be a place for exchange, planning, reflection and fellowship. The Center is available for religious, non-profit and educational retreats and is a place to counsel youth, to develop leaders, and to promote healthy lifestyles. It is a place for individuals and families to come together, to heal and to grow. The complex respects and reveres the natural beauty of Mustang Island, yet provides the modern conveniences

desired by many. Since the groundbreaking in 1999, more than 2,000 individuals have taken advantage of the land and all the Center has to offer during family camps, weekend retreats, seminars and one-day meetings. Phase II will allow the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas to attract and accommodate larger groups for retreats of contemplation, dialogue, and reflection. It is anticipated that 10,000 lives could be touched by this project annually. Our community’s crucial need for a larger non-profit hosting facility is upon us. Our timeline calls for construction of Phase II to begin no later than fall, 2009, with the aspiration to begin sooner as funds are raised. These are the necessary next steps as we strive to achieve the vision before us on Mustang Island.

IN CONCLUSION The challenges facing society today – especially in South Texas - are unmistakable. We live in a vast region experiencing rapid cultural and spiritual transformation, a place where many cultures converge, inspiring hope but also a sense of uncertainty. Through the new phase of development proposed for Mustang Island Conference Center, the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas will provide a larger venue for an ever-growing number of organizations – Episcopalian and non-Episcopalian - that wish to gather together to reflect, contemplate, and open productive dialogues with their colleagues regarding their personal and organizational missions.



We believe Mustang Island Conference Center has played – and will continue to play - an integral role in the improvement of the many services provided by the Diocese of West Texas and those of other charitable organizations throughout South Texas. We urge you to help us make this vision a reality for South Texas by making a charitable donation today. Gifts of all sizes are welcome and

appreciated, and pledges may be made over three to five years. We welcome your inquiries. Please contact Carolyn M. Appleton, Development Campaign Coordinator, Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, 361-537-5121 ([email protected]). Thank you.

Our thanks go to the following for use of their photographs and other imagery for this case for support document:

Bill Pettus

Richter Architects Nita and Ken Shaver

Sewanee: The University of the South Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

UT Health Science Center Wabash Center for Teacher and Learning



Supplemental Information

1. Diocese Facts in Brief and How to Make A Donation 2. Donor Giving Levels and Recognition Opportunities 3. Measuring Our Success, and Volunteer Support and Key Staff

Contacts 4. Phase II Master Site Plan for Mustang Island Conference Center 5. Construction Budget for Mustang Island Conference Center, Phase II 6. Richter Architects “Environmental and Economic Balance” Article 7. List of (Previous) Contributors to Phase I 8. Map of Counties Included in the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas 9. IRS Letter of Non-profit Status



Episcopal Diocese of West Texas Facts in Brief and How to Make a Donation

Name: Episcopal Diocese of West Texas Physical Address: 111 Torcido Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78209 Telephone: 210- or 888-824-5387 Facsimile: 210-824-2164 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6885, San Antonio, Texas 78209 Website: www.dwtx.org (and for Mustang Island,

www.mustangisland.org) IRS Designation: 501(c)(3) religious organization Tax Identification Number: 74-1143118 Year Established: 1874 Number of Staff: Full-time: 27, and part-time: 3 Number of Communicants: 27,000 Annual Operating Budget 2007: $3,645,074 Annual Audit Performed By: Oroian, Guest & Little, P.C., San Antonio (210-641-5600) Invested Funds Management Episcopal Church Foundation in West Texas EIN: 74-2858721 (210-733-3797) Primary Bank: Frost National Bank (210-220-4500) Stock Transfer Agent Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. (210-220-4136)



Phase II Facts in Brief Campaign Goal: $18,700,000 (launched in late fall, 2007) Projects to be Funded: $ 8,150,000 New Church Starts and Relocations and Christ Chapel at Texas State $ 5,414,000 Mustang Island Conference Center $ 2,750,000 TMI – The Episcopal School of Texas $ 1,700,000 Good Samaritan Community Services $ 500,000 Camps and Conferences $ 186,000 Administrative and other needs Key Contacts for Information: Alice Heldenfels Sallee, 361-852-2913 [email protected]

Mary D. Clark, 361-854-4742 [email protected]

Capital Campaign Coordinator: Carolyn M. Appleton, 361-537-5121 or 361-882-5121 [email protected] How to Make a Donation Gifts of all sizes to the Diocesan Development Program are welcome and deeply appreciated. Gifts by check, cash, or by credit card (VISA or MasterCard), are accepted. Gifts of securities, appreciated assets, life insurance or irrevocable trusts may also be made. Please make your check payable to the Episcopal Church Foundation in West Texas, P.O. Box 6885, San Antonio, Texas 78209, and note that your donation should be designated for Mustang Island Conference Center. Pledges may be made over a three-year to five-year time span, if desired. To charge your gift by telephone, call 210 or 888-824-5387 (Nancy Stinson), or e-mail Nancy at [email protected]. To make a gift of stock or other asset, please contact Dan Butt, Executive Director of the Episcopal Church Foundation in West Texas by phone at 210-733-3797 or e-mail at [email protected]. The Episcopal Church Foundation in West Texas, is a Texas corporation (Charter # 01460408) (EIN 74-2858721).



Mustang Island Conference Center

Donor Giving Levels and Recognition Opportunities

Campaign Goal: $5,414,000

Suggested Giving Levels Required to Attain Our Goal

2 X $1,000,000 $2,000,000 2 X $ 500,000 $1,000,000 4 X $ 250,000 $1,000,000 5 X $ 100,000 $ 500,000 8 X $ 50,000 $ 400,000 16 X $ 25,000 $ 400,000 30 X Under $25,000 $ 114,000

~~~~~~~ $5,414,000

Gifts of all sizes are welcome and appreciated. Donors of $25,000 and larger will have their names inscribed on a specially-designed plaque to commemorate the successful conclusion of the capital campaign (both Phase I and II). This plaque will be permanent installed at Bishop Jones Center, the headquarters of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, in San Antonio. Donors of $25,000 and larger specifically to Mustang Island Conference Center will also be acknowledged permanently at the Center itself. For those who wish to name individual spaces within Mustang Island Conference Center complex, the Diocese will be pleased to visit with contributors of $50,000 or larger on an individual basis to identify an appropriate recognition opportunity. The first two donations of $1,000,000 will entitle the donors to name the new housing units. Mustang Island Conference Center complex may also be named in its entirety. The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas has set the level for this unique opportunity at $5,000,000, or fully half of the value of the Conference Center complex once completed.



Episcopal Diocese of West Texas

Measuring Our Success and Volunteer Support and Key Staff Contact Information


Measuring Our Success Mustang Island Conference Center is a dues-paying member of the Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers network (www.ecandcc.org). The Diocese measures the success of its program at Mustang Island by the number of organizations that sign-up to hold meetings and retreats, and by the responses they provide back to us after these meetings are conducted. Improvements are made continuously. Paid staff manages the Conference Center on a daily basis. The staff reports directly to the Kirk Mason, Canon for Administration, and is supported by the Youth and Young Adult Officer of the Diocese, Stacy Dowdy. The Camps and Conferences Committee, chaired by the Rev. David G. Read, provides additional support. Oversight of the Mustang Island Conference Center is provided by two appointed volunteer boards, the Mustang Island Program Committee, chaired by Lisa Pichinson Mason, and the Mustang Island Site Committee, chaired by Alice Heldenfels Sallee. These boards meet on a regular basis and provide the necessary guidance and support for the Center. It is these boards that discuss and request to the Bishop, the Executive Board and to the Development Committee, the present needs of the Center and to discern the future growth of the Center to meet those needs. A list of the leadership of the Diocese and the Mustang Island committee members is found below.



Development Board, Chief Governing Body of the

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas Chairman: Alice Heldenfels Sallee Members: The Rev. Michael D. Chalk T. Drew Cauthorn Mary D. Clark John E. Cozad A. Baker Duncan Jerry E. Fischer Tommy R. Funk, Jr. Thomas C. Frost Peter M. Hossenlopp Allan G. Paterson, Jr. The Rev. David G. Read Stephen E. Walker Bartell Zachry Development Board Emeritus James Avery The Rev. Ned F. Bowersox, Retired The Rt. Rev. James E. Folts, Retired Charles E. Thompson, Jr. Staff and Leadership, Episcopal Diocese of West Texas The Right Rev. Gary R. Lillibridge, Bishop The Right Rev. David M. Reed, Bishop Suffragan Kirk Mason, Canon to the Ordinary, Lay Ministry Development and Administration Carolyn M. Appleton, Development Campaign Coordinator Nancy O. Stinson, Stewardship and Special Projects Coordinator Episcopal Church Foundation in West Texas Dan E. Butt, Executive Director



Mustang Island Site Committee Alice Heldenfels Sallee, Chair Mrs. Johnnie Batten Bernie Brauer Robert L. Browning Mary D. Clark Phyllis Finley Jerry E. Fischer Dee Haven Mike Horridge Monty Lee Kirk Mason Mrs. Elizabeth Nisbet Richard K. Tinnin Derrest Williams Stacy Dowdy, Ex-officio Lisa Mason, Ex-officio The Rev. David G. Read, Ex-officio

Mustang Island Program Committee

Lisa Mason, Chair Jennifer Brooke-Davidson The Rev. Earl Mahan Kirk Mason Clark Niles The Rev. R. Scott Penrod Carey Rote, Ph.D. Nita Shaver Louise Taylor Stacy Dowdy, Ex-officio The Rev. David G. Read, Ex-officio



Department of Camps and Conferences

The Rev. David G. Read, Chair Herb Hill Mike Horridge The Rev. Ramiro Lopez The Rev. James Murguia Dee Haven Lisa Mason Alice Heldenfels Sallee Mollie Steves Zachry Stacy Dowdy, Ex-officio The Rt. Rev. David M. Reed, Ex-officio



Phase II Master Site Plan for Mustang Island Conference Center




Construction Budget

Housing units (2) $3,968,000 New tower with cladding and mechanical equipment $ 189,000 Cladding of existing tower $ 36,000 Furnishings for housing units $ 128,000 Elevator $ 42,000 Stair, conference room, storage and shaded deck $ 242,000 Furnishings $ 12,000 Director’s office and residence, lower and upper levels $ 362,000 Director’s office and residence furnishings $ 10,000 Expanded “green” parking $ 47,000 Additional lighting for existing conference building $ 8,000 Children’s activity area $ 50,000 Contingency in case of material cost increases (6%) $ 306,000

Grand Total $5,414,000



Article from American Institute of Architects (AIA) 1999 "Environmental and Economic Balance" Mustang Island Episcopal Adult Conference Center and Youth Ecology Camp "Is it possible to build in an environmentally responsible manner on a barrier island?" This study outlines the unique environmental challenges posed by a South Texas barrier island site, considers the typology of existing nearby developments, researches appropriate building materials and technologies, and poses a new model for barrier island development with particular attention to preservation of the sea grasses and habitats which proliferate in the zones allowable for development behind dune line. Project The Mustang Island Episcopal Adult Conference Center and Youth Ecology Camp is a $7m phased, in-progress project whose functional requirements include recreational, residential, educational, spiritual, and environmental design components. The owner is the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas and the project is in a design development and fundraising phase. Problem Statement The 23.5 acre project site is located on Mustang Island Texas, ten miles south of Port Aransas within a sparsely developed broad zone of land privately held, but fully available and intended for development. In spite of dune and wetlands protection ordinances, projects to date have tended to do battle with nature, tilting with the windmill of this harsh, beautiful place by making hard but tenuous edges with the natural land. The nature of these edges is a central focus of this paper. Unrelenting sea breezes and fine sand make this one of the most corrosive coastal environments in the U.S.



Existing Developments and "Edges" Before commercial development, the island shows few clues as to property edges. Public and private properties flow into each other forming a seamless sea of natural grasses and sand dunes. At one scale there is huge expanse and endless vistas, and at another there is incredible ecological variety and distinct zones and places. There are the beach, the dunes, the grasslands, the wetlands, and the inland bay shoreline, but between, the boundaries, if any, are soft, organic and dynamic. As residential and commercial developments have begun to redefine large segments of the barrier island, hard and arbitrary edges become drawn. Noticeably, smaller developments (by nature of their scale, not their intent) are often more organic and leave more land untouched. Still that line beyond which the ground is left entirely to nature is a relentless battleground - claimed, reclaimed and then claimed again - a micro-war of irrigated sod and lawn mowers against sand and sea oats. Many of the larger and higher density projects seem to have tried to completely remake the land, drawing edges and shapes similar to those of the landlocked city blocks. Here the automobile as well has become a major defining element within the modified landscape. Conventional parking solutions require substantial areas of paved hard surfaces which often consumes a significant portion of the site. But constant sand accretions on to parking lots and tennis courts are a reminder that this is borrowed land which can only be well or long used with particular care and consciousness. The beauty of the native plants and habitats of the barrier island can be further compromised by the emphasis placed on the beach front and water views. Such emphasis has often placed buildings within the most dynamic and vulnerable zones of the barrier island creating an uneasy existence. There remains a sense that developments by trying to tame the land have created an unhappy and unrelenting struggle. If we can find a way to build firmly but flexibly; if architecture can sit lightly on the land and bend to the forces about it, then it can contribute to the beauty of the island instead of degrading it. Process Research was undertaken in these areas: building systems and technologies storm resistance corrosion resistance construction staging / site impact mechanical systems energy conservation site environment and context site ecosystems indigenous plant life indigenous animal life solar orientation, breezes, vistas Key issues and strategic objectives were identified in each of these categories prior to schematic design. A materials palette, key details, a siting strategy, and an environmental program were developed



Key Observations and Concepts The design challenges posed by this site in a very real sense have more in common with the architecture of offshore drilling platforms ten miles to the east than with conventional buildings ten miles to the west. In this dynamic landscape, a building should attempt to alter the ground only as a ship would part waters - in fact in this place, there is little long term hope to do more. A building should embody the discipline of environmental responsibility in its structure and its daily activities. Strategic Elements Include A repetitive building typology whose expressed materials, structures, and details are a direct and simple derivative of the site. A compact foot print that concentrates parking and outdoor activities in the areas below buildings where shade otherwise destabilizes natural vegetation. Permeable parking surfaces that both accept and stabilize sand accretions, and edge structures that create a 'freeboard' to the ground and grasses. Buildings elevated for tidal flooding and braced for 150 mph winds. Low profile buildings that are scaled and linked so as to respond to the topography, facilitate phasing and create habitable exterior spaces. Elevated boardwalks to allow small animal habitat and migration. Extensive corrosion resistant detailing. Site Planning Visitors arrive at the site via the Park Road which extends like a spine down the center of this linear island, and their destination is the beach a half mile to the east. They begin in cars and end in bare feet. The resolution of this pilgrimage across wetlands, grasses and dunes is the central planning issue of all projects on the island. In order to acknowledge and facilitate this movement, the buildings are linked and clustered along a path which progresses toward the beach in a manner responsive to topography, winds and solar orientation. Parking and outdoor activities are concentrated below the buildings to minimize the site footprint and to stabilize surfaces which shade would render less likely to support indigenous vegetation. The first elevated level has shaded, outdoor, wind-sheltered pedestrian boardwalks linking buildings and the dune crossing. Edges to Nature Arguably, the most critical architectural details on a barrier island site lie along the continuous line across which the site is not altered, affected or even maintained. It is a line which is often not even acknowledged to exist; but it is always explicit, unmistakable, and dynamic. There are several "rules" which this project has imposed regarding this line. First, shrink this perimeter to the minimum area required for structures and outdoor activities. Second, cross the line only with elevated boardwalks, narrow and high enough to allow vegetation and habitat below. Third, stabilize and define the edge with a low masonry retaining wall providing a freeboard to allow



sand erosion and accretion and to create a pedestrian barrier to the wetlands and grasslands. Corrosion Resistance More buildings in this climate have likely succumbed to corrosion than to hurricanes, and those to hurricanes may well have already had their fate sealed by corrosion. Structural steel, even galvanized can be short lived if not exceedingly well protected; and with reinforced concrete, minor shrinkage or thermal cracks can begin an expensive cycle of maintenance and progressive structural decline. The only reinforced concrete deemed viable in this project is for concrete columns and cantilever beams designed to elevate the building envelope above tidal surges. Concrete with epoxy coated reinforcing is to be cast against sheet waterproofing at the inside of brick forms. In this manner, steel is protected by brick, waterproofing, 2" of concrete cover, and epoxy coating. The upper structure is wood frame with stainless steel fasteners, clad in fiber cement roof and wall tiles. Flood Resistance Ironically, because storm surges on the barrier island flow through to inland bays, they can achieve less vertical rise than further inland where the water accumulates against a land mass. The operative concept here is "flow through". By elevating the structures on massive concrete columns and a double cantilever beam grid above the grasslands well behind the dune line, the danger of tidal impact can be minimized. Wind Resistance The older structures on the island which have weathered the most storms with the least damage are wood frame. They tend to be low-rise and short-span which avoids accumulating large loads. They can accommodate many interior shear walls and floor diaphragms to transfer loads. They are inherently flexible which can dissipate stresses. With stainless steel connectors, they are not prone to corrosion. In this project, all interior partitions and exterior walls will have plywood sheathing and stainless steel tie-downs. Exterior walls and roof will have a ventilated cavity for solar shading, moisture drainage, and to provide and intermediate pressure cavity for wind resistance. Water Resources and Wetlands Management In its natural state, the barrier island has no runoff. Water percolates very quickly and replenishes a high fresh water table which can extend even below the salt water beach. By having virtually no impervious surfaces, this project neither impacts ground water conditions nor requires storm drainage infrastructure. It is an effective rainwater collection system that requires only to be left alone. The lower elevation parts of the site contain a wetlands bog and freshwater pond which support bird and small mammal habitat. Environmental Activities and Education The Mustang Island Episcopal Adult Conference Center and Youth Ecology Camp is designed to facilitate group and individual recreational educational and spiritual activities Surrounded by



natural wonders, the Adult Conference Center is conceived to a quiet place for spiritual renewal and celebration. A variety of meeting spaces, both indoor and outdoor, are provided to facilitate small and large group meetings. The Youth Ecology Camp is conceived to provide the youths with experiential opportunities for spiritual and fellowship development as well as providing a living laboratory for the development of environmental consciousness and responsibility. There will be hands-on opportunities for the study indigenous plants and animals, aquatic life and the ecological system of the barrier island. This camp can offer round-the-clock experience on the barrier island, heightening the youths' appreciation of the drama of nature as it moves from day into night and night into day. Environmental activities include: passive solar systems natural lighting and ventilation water resource management water catchment wind co-generation wetlands management low-impact, renewable resource materials dune re-vegetation and regeneration composting resource management and recycling Concluding Comments The vast majority of Texas Gulf Coast barrier islands are state and federal lands protected from development. Several miles of privately owned land, however, is platted for development with utilities and transportation infrastructure in place and market demands increasing. Projects to date have not met the technical, environmental, or human challenges posed by this collision of economic demand and environmental sensitivity. If the nature of future development is not altered, then architecture will have missed a unique opportunity to demonstrate an environmental consciousness and viability in a setting where purpose and skill are laid bare by a powerful and unforgiving context. Conversely, if we can develop architectural models that demonstrate the ability to respectfully and happily coexist, then such models can provide the venue through which people's inevitable trips to the beach can be informed by a consciousness that will ultimately serve to protect these barrier islands from development.



Episcopal Diocese of West Texas ~ Donors to Phase I ~

All Projects Funded Including Mustang Island Conference Center

Individuals and Families

(alphabetical)

• Dorothy W. Abbott* • Anonymous • Mr. and Mrs. James Avery • Robert and Patricia Ayres • Mrs. Evelyn Bailey • Elizabeth Jane Benefield • Mr. Lyon Brinsmade • Patty and John Brooke • Chris and Bill Brown • Amy and Reagan Brown • Mr. and Mrs. James C. Browning • Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Browning • Mr. and Mrs. Dan E. Butt • Mary and Charles Campbell • Jerri and Kirk Clark • John H. Crichton • Mrs. Flora C. Crichton • Kathryn and John Crone

• Mr. and Mrs. David Crow in Memory of Margaret Turnbull

• Marian and John Crutchfield • Alice and Light Cummins • Gilbert M. Denman, Jr.* • Mr. and Mrs. A. Baker Duncan • Mary and Sam Dunnam, III • Kittie Nelson Ferguson • Mr. and Mrs. Jerry E. Fischer • Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Flohr • The Rt. Rev. and Mrs. James E. Folts • Pat and Tom Frost • Shelly and Robert Gunn, Jr. • Susan Hardaway • Hazel Norvel Heldenfels • The Rt. Rev. and Mrs. Robert B. Hibbs • Burdine and J. M.* Johnson • Floy Fontaine Jordan*



• Cora and Tom* Keeler • Elizabeth and Gobel Krishnan • Richard King, III* • Florence Eshleman King* • The Rev. Nicholas Mayer • The Rev. and Mrs. Robert A. McAllen • Helen and Gerald McAllister • Mr. and Mrs. Robert McClane • Alyssa and Mike McCoy • Lucy and Richard McCracken • Dr. and Mrs. Scott Monroe • Lillian and Robert* Morris • William Negley • Elizabeth A. Nisbet • Alice and J. Ted Oakley • Mrs. Dorothea Oppenheimer • Mary Ann Parker

• Mr. and Mrs. Allan G. Paterson, Jr. • Christina and Joe Philips • Laurie and Phillip Plant • Toni Robertson • Janet and Robert Saik • Alice Heldenfels Sallee • Helen and Garry Schnelzer • Nancy O. Stinson • Celika Storm • Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Thompson,

Jr. • Mrs. R. O. Waddell • Debra and Stephen E. Walker • Gina and Tobin Walker • The Rev. and Mrs. Cliff Waller • Mollie and Bartell Zachry, Jr.

Foundations and Corporations (by size of pledge)

• The Ewing Halsell Foundation • Flora Cameron Foundation • The Deja Fund of San Antonio Area

Foundation • J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc. • Pace-Willson Foundation • Ed Rachal Foundation • Shield-Ayres Foundation • Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation • Addison B. Duncan Irrevocable Ins.

Trust • The Brown Foundation, Inc. • G.A.C. Halff Foundation • The Seraph Foundation

• The Larry and Pat McNeil Foundation

• C & M Tiendas Trust • E. A. Durham and Kaye Durham Holt

Foundation • Earl C. Sams Foundation, Inc. • The Steves Foundation • The Scott Petty Foundation • The Robert Ashley and Margaret

Looney McAllen Charitable Foundation

• Pharaoh C. Thompson Foundation • International Construction Managers



Congregations (by size of pledge)

• St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Kerrville • St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, San

Antonio • Church of the Good Shepherd, Corpus

Christi • St. Alban’s Episcopal Church,

Harlingen • St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church,

Wimberley • St. John’s Episcopal Church –

McAllen, Texas • St. Helena’s Episcopal Church, Boerne • St. Francis’ Episcopal Church, San

Antonio • St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church,

Corpus Christi • Church of Reconciliation, San Antonio • Partners in Ministry, Eastern

Convocation • St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Beeville • St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Rockport • St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Uvalde • St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church,

Universal City

• St. James’ Episcopal Church, Del Rio • St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Buda • St. David’s Episcopal Church, San

Antonio • St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church,

Bandera • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Port

Isabel • All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Corpus

Christi • Partners in Ministry, Southern

Convocation • St. Francis’ Episcopal Church, Victoria • Grace Episcopal Church, Weslaco • St. Boniface Episcopal Church,

Comfort • St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,

Brownsville • Grace Episcopal Church, Llano • Epiphany Episcopal Church,

Raymondville

*Deceased









Case Statement Updated: July 8, 2008