Church Improvement Project FAQ
1.) When will Lewelling Widening project be done? 2.) What construction is going to be done at St. Johns?
3.) When will construction on St. Johns begin and end?
4.) Do we have any say in the type of trees that are going to be planted by County; and does our landscaping/tree planting have to conform to same type.
5.) How many parking spaces will be lost?
6.) How many entrances will there be?
7.) How much is the St. Johns construction going to cost?
8.) Where will the money come?
9.) If the county is taking land from us, do we get paid for that?
10.) How much will the capital campaign marketing specialist cost parish?
11.) Is the Diocese helping? Cancel parish assessment?
1. When will Lewelling Widening project be done?
The county schedule is to complete all work in 12-15 months. Since the start last March 2010 it is estimated to be completed in 18 months. The county controls the project schedule.
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2. What construction is going to be done at St. Johns?
The plans for St. John's will be in phases. Phase 1 coincides with the Alameda County Lewelling Blvd widening and involves new fencing and gates around the church property, improvements to the parking lot and the areas immediately around the church affected by the widening. Phase 2 is for Retrofit and improvement of the church building or sanctuary. Phase 3 is the remodel of meeting rooms in the gym. For a detailed description of all the phases please see the parish website.
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3. When will construction on St. Johns begin and end?
The phases of the project will be scheduled as soon as funding sources are determined.
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4. Do we have any say in the type of trees that are going to be planted by County; and does our landscaping/tree planting have to conform to same type.
The church has no voice in the planting in the sidewalk or median. All landscaping behind the sidewalk is at the discretion of the church, but requires county planning department approval.
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5. How many parking spaces will be lost?
The number of parking spaces will drop from the current 207 to about 170, a loss of about 37 spaces.
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6. How many entrances will there be?
There will be 3 entrances that allow entry and exit and one exit behind the convent.
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7. How much is the St. Johns construction going to cost?
The total cost will depend on the final approved designs. Using preliminary plans and if all Phases of the construction project are implemented the total estimated cost is $ 2,965,000. Phase 1 show estimated cost of $870,000. Phase 2 (Church seismic improvement and Sanctuary improvements), $1,580,000. Phase 3 (Gym meeting rooms), $515,000.
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8. Where will the money come?
The compensation from the county for the Lewelling Blvd project is the initial funding for the project. However, this will not cover the cost even of Phase 1. Most of the funding will come from a fund raising campaign. The diocese may provide a loan for the portion of the project. The parish will also be seeking other sources for grants if there are any available.
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9. If the county is taking land from us, do we get paid for that?
The county has compensated St Johns for property lost to the widening and property used temporarily during the construction of Lewelling Blvd.
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10. How much will the capital campaign marketing specialist cost parish?
The project committee received proposals from 3 fund raising companies. The costs proposed ranged from $85,000 - $100,000 . None of the proposals included a guarantee of the amount to be raised in a campaign. No proposals have been accepted by the parish.
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11. Is the Diocese helping? Cancel parish assessment?
The diocese is prepared to loan a certain amount for the project. Canceling the annual parish assessment to help pay for the projects has not been discussed.
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