Building Use FAQ

YES!! The elevator is fully operational! People can go from Bailey in the basement all the way to the 2nd floor of the Parish House. The elevator is also large enough to move tables, chair carts, & other materials, making it easier to transport parishioners and our things.

Interior signage and wayfinding are tools to let us know where we are. Rooms are labeled in two ways, both in writing and braille. Additionally, rooms are both named and numbered. A directory will soon be available in the reception area.

Yes! There is currently an automatic door opener for the East Entrance (Narthex), as well as one for the West Lobby (Office entrance). Additional automatic door openers are being planned. In the interim, use the doorstopper to hold the elevator vestibule door open while the building is open.

All of our offices, meeting rooms, and restroom signs have been made according to ADA code, with the room number and name in raised braille. The buttons in the elevator also contain braille. Flooring and carpet decisions were made to enhance accessibility by using contrast on risers (e.g., using a contrast between the tread color and the edge of the nosing to help people see better when going down stairs), installing low pile carpeting, and using visual indicators (e.g., contrasting colors to discern the edge of the floor). Greater use of natural light, as well as improved internal lighting, has enhanced our ability to see within our meetinghouse, making it a more attractive and functional space.

Assistive listening devices are currently available. Our Capital Campaign accomplished improvements to the sound system in the Sanctuary; enhancing sound quality and benefiting all who come to services.

The instructions to open the building are posted in the West Lobby (Office entrance) and provide explicit instructions to disarm the alarm to enter the building. You must have key access to open the building; the process is straightforward. We recommend you open the building with a partner.

You must request key access and obtain the alarm and safety codes by contacting the office manager at officemanager@firstparish.info.

Remain calm. Quickly call American Alarm at 800-792-5142. Tell them that you are at First Parish 630 Massachusetts Ave Arlington and that everything is OK and you do not need them to dispatch the police. Give them the “safe code”.

We recommend you close the building with a partner.

1. Walk the building to make sure you are not locking anyone else in who may set off the alarm after you’re gone.
2. Lock and check each external door and close all windows.
3. Turn off any lights that are not on a sensor to turn on and off automatically.
4. Set the alarm and exit within 1 minute, making sure the door is locked behind you.

Please follow this link to view our Facility Use Packet. This packet includes a room rental fee schedule, policies, and application.

To request a room for rent, please fill out this form

Book a room as soon as you know. If you hold regularly scheduled meetings you need to re-up in the spring, by mid-June, for your fall meetings. There about 5 meeting rooms and several other rooms we share with Mariposa. There are some restrictions – for example on Sundays RE and Worship takes priority, as well Memorial Services or emergency. The most important item for scheduling is the “when.” We will do our best to accommodate last minute requests. E-mail schedule @ firstparish.info to book a room.

Please sue this link to request an event for your group or committee

Yes. You can have both food and coffee in all meeting rooms. Depending on the room you may need to pull a table from storage for serving. In the Parish House you may either set up in the room or at the blue hospitality counters in the hallway. The hospitality counters are near the elevator end of the hallway, in the basement, and on the 1st floor and 2nd floor. Please clear off the counters and return all tables to storage after your meetings.

Yes, as long as you book the kitchen. Please know that the kitchen is booked on a shared basis. If you are only making coffee no booking is needed.

Reserve the kitchen here

Each group is responsible for setting up and breaking down the room and putting back everything back to in storage.

Please select the people who will help you set up the room as well as break it down. Often the person setting up is different from the person breaking down the room. This is where the room signs come in handy, so you know what goes where. If you have a very large meeting or it’s a hardship to set-up or breakdown please discuss it with the office manager or e-mail officemanager @ firstparish.info.

Storage is limited but there are two shelf units in the Mechanical room (between Stanton parlor and Vestry) for storage of items used weekly or biweekly. Each container must be labeled with committee/group, contact person and phone number and shelf slot will also be labeled to make it easier to locate item and reduce clutter. Unlabeled items will be thrown out. To request shelf space, or storage elsewhere on the First Parish campus, e-mail officemanager@firstparish.info

Clean it up if you can and email the office manager if it is after office hours at officemanager@firstparish.info