Common Grace

05/28/2026

A foundation can be something you pour in concrete—and something you build in your values. Sometimes, it’s both. Last week, as a steel beam was set into place, Adam Johnson, our site’s construction manager with Threshold Builds, shared this:



“This place is built on Love, so it is written in the concrete. Honestly, I don't know what's the bigger privilege, the team I get to work with, or the amazing clients whose vision we see to fruition. This is a special project for all of us, and for the community it will serve.”



Adam’s idea has stayed with us. Because what’s being built here isn’t just housing and a community center, it’s something rooted in care for our neighbors, a more just society, and a healthier environment.

That’s the kind of foundation that carries a project forward long after construction is done.

What’s your foundation?

05/27/2026

An incredible Pentecost celebration this last Sunday at Common Grace! 36 new members welcomed into our faith community, including members of Lake Edge United Church of Christ who have worshipped with us for over a year.
God is making all things new! 🔥🕊️✝️

Here we are in our interim location at St. Stephen’s Lutheran. They have been a wonderful nesting place for Common Grace.
Photo credit: Scott MW

05/21/2026

Celebrating & Welcoming new members this Sunday!
Remember to sign up for the potluck in the On Tap

05/16/2026

Thank you to all who participated in the "Name the Apartments" Contest!

We had nearly 60 name suggestions from Eastmorland neighbors and friends of our project!!
The Common Grace Board loved reading and hearing the thoughtful intentions behind the name suggestions as they worked to make a very hard decision with a lot of tricky considerations involved. We even had to do some legal research into other housing entities with similar names for trademark purposes.

We especially liked the idea of calling the apartments "Commons". We felt that the word denoted the kind of shared space and community life that we intend for these homes in our neighborhood. "Common" is part of our missional statement, "Common Space for the Common Good".

The first name choice was to embrace the shape of the property -- which is notable in the neighborhood -- and go with Jeremy Nealis' suggestion of "Triangle Commons".
However, there is a large housing development that is currently being rebuilt between Regent Street, Park Street and W. Washington Avenue. It is called the "Triangle Community Ministry" or the "Triangle Housing". When doing internet searches including the words "triangle", "housing" and "Madison, WI", this housing development pops up with several links to sites. We felt the strong similarity would lead to constant confusion for the Eastmorland project.

We finally settled on "Grace Commons at Eastmorland" for the name of the apartments. It is a play on the congregational name, but more than that it offers the intention of "courteous goodwill" (which is another definition of "grace") in this place for "common" life in our neighborhood. Courteous goodwill is what we hope our site will continue to create in our neighborhood!

Because this suggestion of Grace Commons ultimately came from our team, we would like to honor the spirit of the contest and award the gift card to the strong runner-up.

Jeremy Nealis -- thank you for suggesting "Triangle Commons" -- please PM us with your contact information so that we might get you the $100 gift card for the local restaurant of your choice or to Woodman's Food Market!

With gratitude to all those who so thoughtfully participated in this contest!

The Common Grace Board

04/23/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/179nqEddpB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

04/21/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1LYPmdJN6c/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Madison’s vacancy rate is nearing the healthy range of 5% but that number hides a deeper challenge. For individuals and families earning between 50 - 80% of Dane County area median income, Madison is short 13,000 rental homes*.
This building is about more than bricks and beams. It’s about creating housing that is affordable, well-built and welcoming for all, right here in our community.
If you’ve stopped by to check on the progress, post a selfie in the comments and tell us what excites you most about this project.
* Source: City of Madison 2025 Housing Snapshot

04/08/2026

Update! The deadline has been updated to Saturday, April 25th.

Our new 26 unit workforce housing has sprung out of the ground in just the past few months. In a little over six months, our neighborhood will grow as individuals and families put down roots on the triangle.

There’s just one exciting piece left—giving the building a name that reflects our neighborhood and our shared sense of community.

We’d love to invite our neighbors to submit naming suggestions to ECC. A few guidelines: the name should reflect a connection to the neighborhood and inspire a sense of community.

If your suggestion is selected by the Common Grace and Eastmorland Community Center boards, you will receive a $100 gift card to Woodman’s or a local restaurant of your choice and be invited to participate in our ribbon cutting ceremony.

Submit your ideas in the comments by April 25 and tell us why you think your suggestion is a winner. See a name you love? React to it! And because ECC is a place of community, please keep comments on others’ ideas positive and respectful.

Ready, set, go!

04/07/2026

Construction of the community center and housing quietly passed a major milestone a couple of months ago, and we don’t want it to go unrecognized.

The development team at Common Grace has been working toward a new vision for the Triangle for more than four years. What you see rising today began in early 2022 with conversations with the City and our Alder, continued with the search for the right development partners at Threshold Sacred Development, and led to the formation of the Eastmorland Community Center as a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

From the beginning, the goal has been clear: to create a place where people from all walks of life can build community with their neighbors—and to provide 26 units of belowmarket rental housing.

Phase one—housing construction—is now well underway. Framing and roofing are complete, with foundation floors and windows coming next. Each step brings us closer to adding much needed housing and a renewed community space to Madison.

Were you part of ECC before construction began? Tell us about an activity, event, or memory you shared here—we’d love to hear from you.

03/26/2026

Housing construction status for 26 units of workforce development housing …grateful for all of our good partners who are helping this ministry vision become a reality.
Eastmorland Community Center building walls will start soon!
Read and see more at eastmorlandcc.org

02/17/2026