BY DOUGLAS CRIST
Special to the Review
It was a shaky foundation for a dream: “an old building with a lot of trouble and an unfortunate situation,” as Ed Kushner recalls it, with gentle understatement.
The footing proved nonetheless sound. Fifteen years later, the Marge Williams Center is a foundational presence for Bainbridge Island nonprofits, a building where locally focused service groups can find not just an address, but a home.
“How fast it went, truly,” said Kushner, whose vision for a nonprofit incubator space has proved both prescient and enduring.
“Virtually all of the original tenants continue to thrive, and it got to the point where there wasn’t enough room in the building for them all,” he said. “As that happened, others fell in behind. The center has continued to serve the community as we intended it, and by my observation it’s doing very, very well.”
“The Marge” marks its 15-year anniversary with a community open house at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 21.
The two-story red building at 221 Winslow Way was dedicated this week in 2001, not quite three years after its namesake lost her life under tragic circumstances in her upstairs apartment there.
To reclaim both the building and Williams’ memory for the community, Kushner cofounded a campaign to establish a nonprofit center in her name, finding opportunity in loss.
A group of “angel” investors put up cash to purchase the building from Williams’ estate, and additional fundraising allowed a complete renovation. In the end, the “angels” simply forgave about half the debt, a tribute to the goodwill Williams’ memory evoked after her years as Winslow town councilor, downtown booster and volunteer.
The center codified its purpose as “a permanent place to nurture nonprofits,” and perhaps two dozen community organizations have called the center home – some almost permanent residents themselves. The Bainbridge Island Land Trust stayed for 14 years before decamping last year for a larger space next door.
The lone remaining original tenant, Arts & Humanities Bainbridge, now shares the upper floor with One Call For All and more recent neighbors including Smile Partners, Bainbridge Island Youth Soccer, and the Bainbridge Chinese Culture and Arts.
Downstairs tenants include the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation, Friends of the Farms, Bainbridge Island Rowing, and Sustainable Bainbridge.
Tenants receive modest office space at a fraction of the going rate for comparable commercial space around town. Also included are a conference room and copier, high speed WiFi, and all utilities.
The only requirement for occupancy: each organization must be a recognized nonprofit, and must serve the Bainbridge Island community. (One office is presently vacant; inquire within.)
“This is an unparalleled opportunity for us, to not only find affordable home right here in Winslow, but to network with other nonprofits and share learning experiences,” said Barb Trafton, executive director of the parks foundation. “We also have access to resources like a conference room and copier that we probably wouldn’t have. It’s helping us grow.”
The Marge Center is itself a nonprofit, managed by a 10-person board and self-sustaining through rent revenue, private donations and occasional small grants.
“It’s so amazing to see the legacy of Marge Williams live on through the thousands of islanders served by the nonprofits who call her former home their home,” said Kassia Sing, board president. “And basically every household in our community feels the benefit from our organizations. The little red house has a big impact on Bainbridge.”
Sing and fellow board members have been sprucing up the building and grounds for this weekend’s open house.
Outside doors were repainted to match the new branding scheme by local artist Alex Sanso, with a new sign and “rose with a heart” logo soon to be unveiled in front. A recent grant from Bainbridge Island Rotary will fund communications upgrades in the conference room.
With an eye on “the next 15,” the board is now exploring a complete energy overhaul, including more efficient heating and lighting and possibly a solar array on the roof. By the time One Call For All rolls around this fall, a Marge Center modernization package may be ready for prospective donors.
The four founders — Kushner, Kate Carruthers, Norm Down and Wendy Johnson — gathered at the building recently to reflect on the longevity of their achievement, and recreate an iconic photo taken before the building’s dedication in 2001.
It was a rare convergence for the four; still island residents but these days pulled into different orbits by retirement or professional work off-island.
“We’re all still upright,” Down joked, but seeing the four at the upstairs rail, where a Bainbridge Review photographer had captured them 15 years earlier, it was remarkable how little had changed in their faces.
Behind them, the building too stood, vital and proud.
Celebrate with Marge
The Marge Williams Center marks its 15th anniversary with a community open house, 1 p.m. Saturday, May 21 at 221 Winslow Way West.
Meet the building tenants and find out more about Bainbridge Island’s “permanent place to nurture nonprofits.”
Info: Visit www.facebook.com/mwcbainbridge.
