New Building Committee Update -  October 2007

Last November, the St. Thomas More New Building Committee was very pleased to announce that the ONE CAMPAIGN was a great success. As of October 2007, more than $6.8 million in pledges has been received, and more than $3.3 million has already been saved toward this extraordinary project!  Continuing this strong trend of parishioners' payments on pledges will allow us to break ground as anticipated in April 2009.

The overall financial plan is sound. In late November, a letter was received from Bishop Michael Burbidge congratulating our pastor, Fr. Durbin, and the parish on our successful campaign, and confirming Diocesan Finance Council approval of the $3.5 million loan for the project.

A contractor has been selected. In January, the Construction/Architecture/Design sub-committee in collaboration with McClure Hopkins, our architect, identified and solicited proposals from prospective contractors. Six submissions for information were reviewed, and from this, four were selected as finalists to submit proposals. Four contractors of excellent reputation and quality - Choate Construction, Clancy & Theys, C. T. Wilson, and Riggs-Harrold - made presentations in late February.

Following this, each contractor's proposed fees, general conditions, and proposed timetables were reviewed, along with conducting due diligence visits to offices and current job sites. In March, the sub-committee recommended and the entire New Building Committee unanimously approved Choate Construction as the building contractor for our New Building Project.

The Committee has also worked to address questions raised by the Chapel Hill Town Council, and we expect approval for our ambitious project will be confirmed in late 2008.  Other committee members have met with representatives of Aldersgate Church and the NC Botanical Garden, and we continue to make progress in resolving their concerns.

As the New Building Committee begins its fourth year working on Phase II of the Saint Thomas More Master Plan, we plan to hold another Town Hall meeting. This one will give interested parishioners and neighbors an opportunity to meet representatives of Choate Construction and McClure Hopkins, see current conceptual drawings of the facilities and campus, and ask questions.

Many parishioners have declared interest in and want to know more about the Saint Thomas More Columbarium. We are developing this information and will make it available in the near future.