Dear parish council, parish family and friends,
The Building Steering Committee and I wanted to update you as we move forward from our parish meeting to endorse architect Tom Smith to serve as our parish architect for our building project. Here is some of what is going on. (Please check the website for this and more information, too).
Tom Smith joined the Building Steering Committee for our 11:30am Meeting on Thursday. In his time with the Building Steering Committee Tom addressed several points:
1). One of the challenges we will be running up against in renderings and beyond, as we actually build, is the budget. Tom reminded us again, that we will be facing hard decisions. We will not be able to achieve all of our dreams in the first phase. Part of why the first phase will have so many costs is that there are certain expenses that must be taken care of up front: excavating rock, prepping the site, bringing in utilities, and creating parking, for instance. We cannot avoid these expenses.
2). Tom spoke about timetables for getting us architectural renderings and drawings. We are agreed that we are shooting for November 1. On November 5, the BSC will review those renderings with Tom and also, hopefully, review what Tom’s mechanical engineers and contractor contacts have to say about cost estimates. At that time, the BSC will also weigh whether or not we are ready to forward these drawings on to the parish for its consideration. Through all of these processes, Tom and the BSC will work together to be mindful of balancing costs with needs. We will announce meetings for parish input after the BSC verifies with Tom that they are ready to be deliberated over.
3). Tom reported that we should have some level of renderings available by the beginning of December that can be used for our Nativity publicity work, which will include mailers to friends of our parish, information to be made available online, etc. The renderings might still evolve afterwards, but not substantially. What we present in early December will be a good visual approximation of what we ultimately settle on.
The BSC also agreed that we are, in principal, fine with Tom’s suggestion that he submit one rendering that we either accept and amend, or reject and ask for a new rendering. The BSC indicated confidence not only in Tom’s skill, in general, but also in his specific architectural vision as thus far expressed in conceptual designs and in conversation.
After Tom left our meeting, the BSC members reviewed other developments:
the development of the parish website (the new page under “building” at athanasiusoca.org)
- the planting of the Cross (thanks to Chris Reeves)
- ongoing work on developing mailer materials (Bert and Nathaniel making contributions)
- reflection on the excitement at the “First Vespers” held on Oct. 17
The members of the Building Steering Committee continue to work on:
- conversations with Nicholasville City Planning & Zoning about having deed restrictions lifted
- conversations with the bank about budget and loan for our project
- conversations with benefactors, within and without the parish, regarding support as we go forward