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February 12, 2007
Work on the lower level offices is continuing. We have been told that the staff should be able to occupy the offices the week of February 26th. Cabinets are being installed and carpeting and tile are being laid this week. Also, the building committee has reworked the cabinets in the kitchen area on the lower level. When we occupy the offices, work will be continuing on the other end of the lower level in the old fellowship hall area as stairs will need to be constructed allowing another entrance/exit from the lower level. That is to say that due to ongoing construction, the parlor area will still be off limits when the offices open. The sanctuary is beginning to take shape. The chancel area has been framed out but the Building Committee has met with the architect concerning several issues about layout and spacing. The balcony area has been re-decked and the sound booth has been constructed. The exterior entrances on Reagan Street are being worked on.
October 16, 2006
Walls have come down and walls are going up. Conduit for wiring has been run. The plumbing is getting set and concrete patches have been poured where concrete was cut to allow for new plumbing to be run. A couple of business items have been addressed by our Trustees: a new computer system has been purchased to be installed in the office, networked and wired into the construction; also, a decision has been made to refinish the pews (with funds provided by the Moore bequest which we recently received). Our projected date of moving from the sanctuary to the fellowship hall has been pushed back two weeks until November 19th in light of some of the manufacturing that needs to be done on the air-conditioning system.
August 28, 2006
The Building Committee met with a representative of the stained glass company and with the architect and contractor on Monday, August 28. Plans for the stained glass at this point are to recover the exterior of the windows with a vented Lexan covering. The glass will be cleaned and certain pieces of the glass will be replaced or repainted. Releading of the glass which is a very expensive process will take place section by section in future years. After discussion with the contractor, modifications have been make to the walkway between the sanctuary and children's building to keep the project within the $1,500,000 guaranteed maximum price. We have incurred some additional expenses for asbestos removal, but this will fall within the 1.5 million dollar cap as well.
Asbestos removal is scheduled to begin on the lower level of the sanctuary building Thursday, August 31. Final financing arrangements should be decided upon this week as well.
July 9, 2006
On Sunday, July 9, 2006, at the Church Conference following the Worship Service, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to move forward with the Sanctuary Renovation Project. The architects will be notified and the final bids will be submitted during the next three weeks. Work is projected to begin in early August.
July 5, 2006
Your Building Committee has met again with the architects and builders, and we’re getting close to a “go”!
The next step is to get your approval at a Church Conference to be held on Sunday, July 9, after the morning worship.
After a successful Capital Campaign, in which we raised OVER $1,000,000 in pledges, we have almost 2/3 of the anticipated cost committed, leaving only 1/3 to be borrowed. This is a tremendous success, according to our consultants and architects. Other United Methodist churches in recent months have raised only ? (or less) of the anticipated cost of their building projects. Thanks to all of you who have so prayerfully committed to this project.
As a congregation, we’ve been blessed to be able to enjoy this wonderful Sanctuary for almost 100 years RENT FREE, thanks to our predecessors who built it in 1911, and remodeled it in 1950, with little money having to be spent for improvements since then.
Now it’s our turn.
The anticipated cost of $1.5 million includes a complete renovation of the Sanctuary Building:
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Complete electrical renovation to replace wiring, some of which dates to 1911.
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Expansion of the chancel area to relieve crowding during communion, funerals, weddings and performances.
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Permanent area for Glory Bells, at rear of choir area.
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Thoroughly cleaning our wonderful, historic, irreplaceable stained glass windows, including minor repairs to lead joints, and replacement of Plexiglas protective covering.
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Relocation of administrative offices to Lower Level.
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Relocation of choir practice area to Main Level.
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Addition of restrooms on Main Level.
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Improvements to sound system and video capabilities.
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Improvements to Lower Level restrooms, including bridal suite.
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Stairwell going from balcony to Lower Level, providing not only for fire safety codes, but also rear access to Lower Level restrooms DURING CHURCH SERVICES!
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Covered access from street to elevator and administrative offices on south side of Sanctuary.
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ADA required north exit ramp from Sanctuary, including canopy.
AND MORE!
The cost of the project as originally planned was $1.8 million, which included about $600,000 for an enclosed Atrium to join the Sanctuary with the rest of the campus and to cover the ADA required north exit ramp from the Sanctuary. As with any building project, there have been some changes to the original concept that increased the cost, such as the balcony to Lower Level staircase (fire safety code requirement), unexpected asbestos abatement, the addition of the two arched canopies on the south exterior of the building (to provide covered entry to the elevator and the administrative offices).
In an effort to be good stewards of the church’s resources, we decided to postpone building the enclosed Atrium indefinitely. However, the ramp and canopy are designed in such a way that they can be integrated into the enclosed Atrium in the future. The net result of the additions and deletions is a reduction of $300,000 from the original estimate, with a Guaranteed Maximum Cost of just under $1.5 million.
The Building Committee thanks you for your prayers, comments and concerns during the last year.
We sincerely hope you are as pleased with the end product as we are.
May 7, 2006
The Building Committee met April 27, with the architectural firm
leaders of Ron Mabry & Associates of Tyler, to proceed with
sanctuary remodeling plans.
Work is continuing on various inspections for asbestos, decay, mold,
leaks, etc., which will result in better information for accurate bids.
Drawings of design changes will be complete near the end of May, when the components will go out for
bids. After the bids have been reviewed, the scope of the work will be prioritized to fit the amount of money
pledged. A church conference will be set in June to review, discuss and vote on the modifications.
Priorities of the project are to make the sanctuary structure safe, updated and a welcoming house for
worship. The renovation will begin with the lower level, and will not interrupt worship services or office
operations until the lower level is completed. The office will then move to the lower level, and the Sunday
Services will move to Fellowship Hall, probably by the early part of September.
Restoring the Glory Newsletters
Copyright ©2008 • First United Methodist Church • Palestine, TX • 903-729-6205
