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May 2008


The Journey to Parkside Continues

Time is flying by and the Parish will be breaking ground at Parkside in September! The Spirit-I Schematic Design, which includes the floor plan and building elevations, has been approved by the Steering Committee and is to be used by the Architect as the basis for starting the Design Development phase. Design Development is the second major phase of designing the Project and precedes the last, or Construction Design phase. From the floor plan, we now know the locations of Liturgical, Fellowship, and Office rooms, how big they are, and what their relationship is to other spaces in the building. With this plan we can now start to specify details related to the utilities, room finishes and amenities. Door, hall, and window locations, heating and air conditioning, lighting, cabinetry, communication and security systems, ceiling, wall and floor coverings etc. will be detailed for each room and hallway as the designs unfold. The Spirit-I floor plan can be viewed on our Web page and will be displayed on the new "Journey to Parkside" bulletin board in the hallway just outside the Parish Hall.

Preliminary architectural elevations of how Spirit-I, and the Church (Spirit-II), will look from several different angles or viewpoints are currently being worked on by our architect BCDM. "Hot off of the press," these fresh drawings will be available for your inspection at the Church picnic on Sunday, June 8th. While you are at the picnic, please stop by the "Journey to Parkside" table to locate the exact spots where your Church, Fellowship Hall, and even Father's office are to be built. Meet with members of the Steering Committee and Joe Meyer our Construction Project Manager from Scott, Murphy and Daniel. Share with us what you think of the project!

The second Project Team meeting will be held June 30th. At that meeting, our Construction Manager will provide the first cost estimates for Spirit-I. Based on information from the completed Schematic Design, The Project Team will review these cost estimates. Our objective is to keep the total cost of Spirit-I within the approved $5.6MM budget. This initial estimate will then be upgraded continuously throughout the Design Phases until the final design is completed and ready to evaluate the actual bid pricing later this year. In July, the Steering Committee plans to report to the Parish how these initial Schematic Design cost estimates turn out.

Shortly, we will file for a "Conditional Use Permit" with the Warren County Board of Adjustment. A hearing is scheduled for June 26th that will, we hope, grant us this zoning variance. Prior to the formal hearing we will have a Public community meeting to announce our plans and seek input and support from area neighbors. Also, environmental and topographical design work has begun in preparation for obtaining the necessary permits and for the start of the rough grading work. We anticipate this earthwork to start in September. A curve re-alignment proposal for Smallhouse Road is also being prepared by our Civil Engineer BWSC and will soon be submitted to the County for corrective action.

The hay barn and large horse barn that are toward the rear of the property will be removed during July and August as they are located in the proposed construction area. Almost all the interior wooden fencing will also be dismantled and, if found reusable, included as part of the future Parkside landscaping and any remaining fencing will be made available for others. Thanks for your prayers and support - Parkside Project Steering Committee


We did it!

We all did it! Father Jerry, the Staff, Parish Council, TORCH, PPSC and the Finance Committee. We supported each other and effectively worked together to have the Spirit II Business Plan approved by the Diocesan Administrative Committee and Bishop John McRaith last April 30, 2008. The approval we sought and was granted, boiled down to; Holy Spirit being allowed to borrow money as may be necessary to build the Church now. (See the "Cost tab" for the Spirit II Business Plan Summary) Now means as soon as it is most economical to do so. BCDM our architect will begin the schematic design phase of the Church as soon as it completes the design of Spirit I by October 1, 2008. TORCH must complete the Spirit II Master Plan for the Church no later than July 30th to support in this timing. A PPSC Building Plan based on the Master Plan that supports a realistic budget must first be developed and then approved. Our estimated cost for Spirit II that was used in the Business Plan was $6.7MM. If the budget is greater than our business plan estimate, that would cause the retirement of our debt to be appreciably lengthened from 15 years, than that variance would need to approved by the new Parish Council and communicated back to the Diocese. This must be accomplished prior to having BCDM’s Contract amended.


The next hurdle would be in February 2009 when the Businesses Plan safe guards are enforced. Prior to amending the Construction Management Services Contract (SMD) and proceeding to build Spirit II we must have the GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price) of Spirit I established closely to the approved budget and to have our pledge campaigns robust in the continued support of our ability to retire the debt within 15 years. If both of these criteria are found satisfactory, then the Parish Council will approve the PPSC to proceed and monies will be borrowed accordingly beginning in the fourth quarter of 2009. The start of the actual Church construction is currently planned to begin in July 2009 and be completed ready for consecration by November 2010.


The PPSC is committed! You just might start to see those hog button pins. Its up to us to now "Walk the walk" PPSC will provide whatever support to TORCH and the Church leadership as needed during the next several months as Spirit II Master Planning proceeds and revised campaign strategies are developed. Now it’s all about our committed support and continued prayers that will have us in the new Church building for Christmas Masses in 2010. Art Kunkel - chair

 

April 2008

Site Layout Plan Approved!

The first Project Team meeting was held April 12, 2008. Our architect Beringer Ciaccio Dennell Mabrey (BCDM) and our construction manager Scott Murphy and Daniel (SMD) met with the Parkside Project Steering Committee. At this meeting the Site Layout Plan was approved in concept with changes as noted. The Site Layout Plan is posted on this webpage and it will soon be shared after all the Masses, and be on display in the atrium and parish hall.

This is a significant step or milestone achievement along our "Journey to Parkside" as the approved Site Layout Plan releases many other pre-construction work activities to begin. This milestone was achieved on time and as scheduled in full support of the Project Summary Schedule. (See the schedule tab to view the Project Summary Schedule) Now BCDM can start the schematic design phase of the Project working on floor plans and architectural elevations. We can also start preparing to have Parkside zoning approved. Environmental and topographical plans can now begin and well as the completion of the off –site utilities design by BWSC.

Also during the Project Team meeting BCDM and SMD entered into the first discussions of how Spirit I will be constructed and of what kind of materials. This early agreement is very important so what is designed can be easily contracted and built without costly changes and delays. Early estimating by SMD will be performed to check the design as it is developed so that the Project stays within the approved budget of $5.6MM. Our next Project Team meeting will be in late June to approve the floor plans and basic architecture elevations as we proceed into the design development phase.

The "house" has been approved to be used as a rectory for the foreseeable future. The "house" will be also capable of hosting small day retreats and group activities to take full advantage of the backyard area. The "house" basement will be partially retained for storage. The barn adjacent to the house will garage outdoor equipment and also provide storage. The large horse barn and hay barns will be removed as they are located in the new construction foot print. Almost all the interior wooden fencing will be dismantled during July and August and reused as part of the Parkside landscaping and also made available for others to use.

We have a Construction Manager!

The Ink is still wet. As of April 3, 2008 Scott, Murphy and Daniel (SMD) and the Holy Spirit Catholic Church have signed the Contract to provide Construction Management Services for Spirit I at Parkside. SMD will immediately begin preconstruction work activities. The First Project Team meeting (Architect -BCDM, Construction Manager - SMD, and PPSC) will be held April 12, 2008. The preliminary site layout as part of the Master Plan will be reviewed at this meeting and then will be made available to share later this month.

Also the Spirit I Building Plan is now issued in support of the approved Spirit I Budget of $5.6MM. You can locate this entire document under the design tab of this website. The Building Plan is not the final issue as that is planned for August 2008. This issue is the latest Scope of Work; however, it is still being refined and parts especially concerning the “House” and Youth Center plans are still in a developmental stage. As these issues become firm they will be announced.

Our Journey to Parkside continues on schedule. See the schedule tab of this website.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers,

Art Kunkel - PPSC chair

March 2008

This is the second Sunday Bulletin article reporting to the Parish and follows the first informational address to the Parish following the Sunday Masses on March 8 & 9. Also, we just launched our new web page Journey to Parkside. There is an easy link provided on our www.holyspiritcatholic.org Website. There you will be able to see cost reports, schedules, design and construction articles and pictures of the work in progress as they become available. These items will be updated on a monthly basis. PPSC is actively engaged with other Church leadership groups finalizing budget numbers and developing work scopes for the new church complex. Father Jerry signed the Contract with BCDM our architect for the design of Spirit - I. BCDM is now preparing the first site layout drawings for Parkside. Soon we will actually have drawings to share. We are also very close to making a recommendation for award of the Construction Management (CM) Services Contract. The Construction Manager will actually build Spirit I and become part of the Project Team joining BCDM and PPSC. The first Project Team meeting will be held in April as the three parts become as one “Team.” The Project Team will deliver Spirit - I: Safely, with Quality, Cost effective, and as Scheduled. During the coming summer, parish businesses, groups, and individuals that are skilled and interested in participating in the various Spirit – I work efforts will be notified concerning a formal qualification and selection process. The Traffic Study being completed by Barge Wagoner, Sumner and Cannon (BWSC) recommends that Holy Spirit does not have to pay for any Smallhouse roadway work prior to our occupancy of Parkside in 2010. BWSC are now working on our off-site utility requirements. It appears that a new sewer line costing about $150K should be our only significant off-site expense. Ground breaking by large equipment is planned shortly after Labor Day and structural work should follow by December of this year. The Spirit - I Scope of Work, which includes the Parish Hall, Catechesis, and Office areas, aims for an April 4, 2010 Easter occupancy at the latest. Thank you for your prayers and continued support as we begin our pre-construction work phase. Art Kunkel – PPSC Chair

The Parkside Project Steering Committee (PPSC) plans to communicate building progress and developments to our parishioners on a regular basis. The Sunday Bulletin, "Breathe of the Spirit" Newsletter and our www.holyspiritcatholic.org website will be the principal avenues utilized to convey Parkside progress and developments. The PPSC has been very busy since mid-December getting organized and assimilating knowledge and data from TORCH. At this time, a new contract with BCDM, our architect, is being developed to accommodate a Construction Manager that will be interviewed and retained next month. A required Traffic Study was just completed by Barge Wagoner, Sumner and Cannon and we recently retained them as our civil engineering firm to research and design the utilities needed for our property. Very soon the first building layouts and land usage possibilities for our property will become available to share and review. This is an exciting time. During the coming summer, parish businesses, groups, and individuals that are skilled and interested in participating in the various Parkside work efforts will be notified concerning a formal qualification and selection process. Ground breaking by large equipment is planned to begin shortly after Labor Day and structural work should follow by November.

The Spirit I Scope of Work, which includes the Parish Hall, Catechesis, and Office areas, aims for a April 4, 2010 Easter occupancy. Thank you for your prayers and continued support as we begin our pre-construction phase of work. Art Kunkel - PPSC Chair