There are so many construction activities happening on campus that sometimes it is hard to keep track of it all. This is true even for those of us on staff who are working in and around it all week long. So, I thought I would send a few updates your way to try and keep you as up to date as possible.
New Welcome Area
The old Parlor area has been abated of all asbestos and any necessary demolition of walls has taken place so that in the weeks to come our new welcome area will truly begin to take place. Those designing this area have done an excellent job thinking through how we will use this space and how to make it a truly welcoming hub of activity for our church and our community.
Old HVAC Removal
As you can imagine, the sanctuary’s heating and air conditioning system is quite large, so removing it from the basement was a major undertaking. In recent weeks, you may have noticed that the entrance between the Sanctuary and the old Parlor was blocked with a wooden covering. That walkway was designed with removable concrete platforms, which provided access to the basement when removed. This design allowed the old HVAC system to be removed in large sections more quickly than if each piece had to be carried up the stairs and through a standard doorway. The removal is now complete, and adjustments are being made to the existing ductwork so it can connect to the new HVAC system, which will be installed on the roof rather than in the basement.
Sanctuary Restrooms
Several of you have walked by the sanctuary area and have noticed that there were cuts in the concrete floor of the sanctuary. This was done because it was the best way to get water, sewage, and additional electrical lines run to the York Street side of the sanctuary, which had absolutely no water or sewage access and was one of the long-time hurdles to making this needed change to our sanctuary. Much of that work is finishing up this week and the concrete floor will be patched with new concrete next week. By the time the flooring is put down, no one will be able to know that we did this work at all.
Pews and Piano
Our church pews from the main floor of the sanctuary have been picked up by a sister church that has need of them. They will be placed in storage by this church for a short time until they are ready to refinish them and put them in place to begin serving the needs of that church. Our sanctuary piano, which has seen too much wear and tear due to the humidity issues in our sanctuary, will be rehoused with a family connected to our church who would like to invest in tending to its care and restoration. Due to a gracious gift from a church member, our renewed sanctuary will be graced with a Steinway piano suited for our space.
Elevator
Work has been completed in the past week to ensure the stability of the foundations of both the Trinity Building and the Education Building so that work on the elevator can begin in earnest. Nothing was wrong with these foundations, but due to the excavation work needed to install the elevator, these steps were taken to ensure their ongoing stability during that work. I know we are all ready to see progress begin on this important step in our renovations.
Thank You
I again want to thank you for your flexibility during this time in which so many things have needed to shuffle and change. Your graciousness has been a gift as we make our way through these renovations. In the end, I know it will all be worth it. I continue to grow in excitement about what is ahead and how these changes will enable us to better serve our community every day of the week. Thank you, also, for your incredible financial generosity. As we announced several weeks ago, we have already received 60% of pledged gifts. This timely generosity has meant that we have not yet had to draw down any funds from our line of credit, which the church approved back in January. So far, your giving has outpaced the rate of construction costs. Of course, with the 3-year window to fulfill our pledges, with not everyone being in a place to fulfill their pledges in a large lump sum, and with construction drawing to a close in the next few months, we will need to draw down a portion of funds from our line of credit before all is said and done, just as we anticipated. The finance committee is making appropriate plans for this. But because of the generosity you have exhibited far ahead of schedule we will have to draw down far less and will quickly be able to pay down the line of credit as pledges continue to be fulfilled. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the graciousness and generosity you have given beyond measure to make all of this More Than Sunday work possible!!! I continue to be humbled, amazed, and grateful.
Grace and Peace,
John
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