October 2026 Update

October 2026 holds significant milestones for our project! The city approved Grace Commons apartments for occupancy so our first new neighbors will be moving in shortly. A soft open of community operations will begin on Monday, November 2 and we can't wait to welcome people in.

With the property nearing completion this capital campaign is more important than ever. We are very close to the million dollar mark which is amazing. That said, the final third of the campaign is every bit as crucial as the first million dollars. We still have project enhancements to finish and it will take time to develop the income necessary to keep the doors open and the space free or affordable for building users. That final third will serve as our stable launch pad, propelling the Eastmorland Community Center into the future.

June 2026 Update

Things are moving fast at your future community center! In under a month, we’ve poured the foundation, framed the walls and floors and installed the windows and roof.

On tap for this week, the crew from Threshold Builds will enclose the eye-catching barrel roof at the corner of Tulane & Hargrove, while also beginning the electrical and plumbing work.

Every day brings us one step closer to opening our doors this October—and creating a welcoming space for neighbors to gather, connect, and build community.

February 2026 Update

The Eastmorland Community Center & Common Grace property project is starting to take shape! If you haven’t driven past the Tulane Avenue ‘triangle’ lately, please take a quick trip to see the progress on the workforce development housing units that are currently getting framed. This is the first of the two buildings on the property, with the community center building starting to go up inSpring. It is anticipated that the community center and congregation will move back to the property sometime in mid-late Fall of this year. We could not be more excited to get back to the Eastmorland neighborhood!

Once the construction process gets far enough along, neighbors will be invited into the building for hard hat tours. Our hope is that those will start in late August or September. We plan to have some community events in the new building this Fall, including hopes to return with our community Thanksgiving meal.

The things we are looking forward to the most are the community activities that will help us put the finishing touches on the community center and property. Several neighbors have already reached out to offer to help us install our native landscaping plants, and others are looking forward to community participation with the murals that will go on the exteriors of our buildings. There will be so many ways that Eastmorland neighbors can be involved once the buildings are near completion!

One of the ways that neighbors can continue to help with the development of the community center is supporting the capital campaign. In just under a year, we have raised 57% (856K) of our $1.5 million with your community support. We are so grateful! If you haven’t had an opportunity to donate, you can do here at GiveButter or send a check to P.O. Box 8412, Madison, WI 53708. Another way to support the campaign that will help the community center thrive, is to connect us with community partners that might be interested in supporting the work we are doing in the Eastmorland neighborhood. An email to Marie Everett ( marie@eastmorlandcommunitycenter.org ) is a good way to start that connection!

Thank you for going on this journey with the Eastmorland Community Center, neighbors!

After years of talking about redeveloping the Eastmorland Community Center triangle, it is finally starting to happen! The current building at 3565 Tulane Ave. is scheduled to be taken down in August 2025, with 12 months of concurrent construction of both the community center and planned workforce housing.

The neighbors interviewed during the feasibility phase of the capital campaign gave us confidence in kicking off a capital campaign this month with a goal of $1.5 million!

Through this redevelopment, we are creating new space to benefit the good of all our Eastmorland neighbors. This fully accessible space will be available for local groups, events and activities that help us connect, create, and build Common Space for the Common Good.

The money raised will do three things:

Provide the funds needed to have a 20% down payment for the construction loan.
Fund interior and exterior design work and furnishings for the community center and grounds (lighting, sound, commercial kitchen, food pantry, furniture, landscaping, etc.)
Stabilize the finances and staffing for the Eastmorland Community Center non-profit program so that we can expand needed staff positions and operating costs.

The official campaign will kick-off in March, culminating with a celebration July 27th 2025. Donations will be sought from community members, Common Grace church and local foundations and businesses in the larger community. Pledges can be spread over a three-year period or given all in one donation. Gifts of stock or estate planning options are also ways in which donations can be given.

Contact marie@eastmorlandcommunitycenter.org if you would like information on ways to contribute to the campaign sent out to you.

To learn more about Eastmorland Community Center and see the initial site plan for our new community center building and 26 units of workforce development housing, please visit our website.

Common Space for the Common Good

Capital Campaign