Burke Presbyterian Church is in the midst of a major building project, to be completed in the summer of 2020!
**Mid August Update**
The coronavirus pandemic has changed how we all operate, and all of the activities and ministries affiliated with Burke Presbyterian have largely moved online as of mid-March. However, construction is still underway on our massive “Widen the Circle” project. At this point we anticipate the bulk of the project being completed in August, but due to the global pandemic, we will not be occupying the space yet.
Watch the progress through some photos!
Here are the most recent (from left to right):
#1: Hallway looking toward Narthex where construction is complete and new doors installed. The doors will stay open unless fire alarm activates.
#2: New double doors for main entrance to the expanded meeting house from the Gathering Space. There is wood floor on the previous inner and outer Narthex to match the previous flooring on the Meeting House.
#3: Outside siding has been completed including the cross tower and painted to match the previous church siding.
#4: New kitchen range hood has been installed in the ceiling and both the intake and exhaust ducts completed. We should start to get appliances for installation this week.
Previous weeks’ work includes (below, left to right and down …)
Completion of the sidewalk in front of the new Gathering Space windows along the church office to the Meditation room entrance. This is all one level with no steps other than to join the sidewalk to the lower parking lot; Completion of the sidewalk from the new front doors to the parking lot and visitor parking spots; Completion of the new carpet tiles in the Gathering Space. This picture is looking toward the front doors; Installation of the ceiling tiles, surface lights and large LED “wagon wheel” lights for the Gathering Space.
New main doors from the Gathering Space into back of the Meeting House. These will be the primary entrance to the Sanctuary; new 98 inch TV installed in the Gathering Space above the fireplace. There are two other TVs of similar size in the Sanctuary; Outline forms for Front sidewalk leading to main entrance doors. Anticipate pouring concrete next week; Outline for sidewalk along the side of the Gathering Space leading to the Meditation Room entrance. This will be one level with no steps except to the sidewalk and steps to the lower parking lot.
New main entrance doors for BPC preschool from the lower parking lot; Hand laid decorative stone on fireplace and chimney on inside of the new Gathering Space; Stall partitions in new bathrooms off the Gathering Space. Toilet fixtures and sinks have been installed. Protective plastic covering on stall partitions for shipping has started to peel off.Temporary walls in the hallway from the Meditation Room to the Meeting House have been removed. There will be a pair of permanent fire doors across the hallway as part of the new firewall. The doors will normally be open until a fire alarm allows them to swing closed; Weatherproofing materials installed on cross tower. Siding is next to match rest of the church; Uplighting around the clerestory which is the upper level of windows above normal line of sight. This is an architectural term. The lights are a single string of LED lights that go all the way around the new Gathering Space; Bathroom floor and wall tiles and fixtures are being installed.
Crane putting the cross in place at top of the tower at front corner of the new addition; Framing for the front doors to the new Gathering Space (GS); Temporary plywood wall until actual doors installed. The GS is now enclosed and protected from the weather; All the walls in the Gathering Space and the youth classrooms, hallway, kitchen and pantry now have drywall up, seams finished and they started to put on prime paint today.
Siding on new Gathering Space (GS). Prime paint only, when siding done all will be painted to match current BPC exterior siding; Main HVAC ducts being installed in ceiling of GS; Interior drywall on classrooms, bathrooms and serving area making good progress. Picture is of serving area off GS and near kitchen. the main entrance from outside with the canopy structure and initial siding installed; the addition of an exterior weather barrier, white waterproofing material, on the outside block walls; and the front door canopy roof and metal structure for the cross tower, which is almost complete; the application of an air and vapor barrier (the blue tape) to all the external seams and window frames; the application of black water proofing on all the external block surfaces; and the addition of sheets of insulation and plywood on the chimney. The insulation and plywood work are complete and now work is happening on the building steel structure for the large window overhang. The steel structure is complete for the front door canopy and cross tower. The cross eventually goes above the tallest steel beam.
What does this project involve? There are two phases. Phase one was completed in the fall, and it includes renovating the entire downstairs (near the shed and lower parking lot). That space is devoted to our preschool, nursery, and children’s ministries. Phase two began in December. We are adding a “gathering space” (see architect’s rendering below), which will fill the current courtyard area where the church’s main entrance is located; expanding the kitchen; and updating the rooms where the preschool currently is housed.
We call this exciting enterprise our “Widen the Circle” project, because that’s what we’re doing: making more space for hospitality.
If you have made a pledge/donation to this project, and would like to pay online, find the Widen the Circle button on this page. And check back for periodic updates! It’s an exciting time in the life of Burke Presbyterian, and we can’t wait to share in it with you!
