News from the Home Team... Richard Grzywinski, Chair

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  • 2008
    • September
      • First [tax-exempt qualifying] Service in our UU Center!
        09/30/08
        Tonight, Tuesday, September 30, 2008, we held our first official service in our UU Center. This is one of the requirements to getting our Temporary CO and tax-exempt status.

        The program:



        People arriving. Rev Newberry gives Chris Holaday a hearty thumbs-up.
      • Temporary Certificate of Occupancy!!!
        09/30/08
        Today, on Tuesday September 30, 2008, we were issued a temporary Certificate of Occupancy by Galloway Township. This means we will be eligible for tax-exempt status for the 2009 tax year. Hooray!

      • And now for the climactic frenzy
        09/28/08
        Our rain barrels once held jalapeno puree!



        Too bad we didn't yet have the barrels in place before the heavy rain we got the weekend of September 27-28.



        We now have our address on our sign!

        A rainy wet dismal weekend shows off the beauty o

      • We're getting a kitchen!
        09/26/08
        Kitchen cabinets have arrived.



        Also the fancy 36-inch commercial range.



        More cabinets installed around the range. These are beautiful birch (no formaldehyde laminate).



      • Ceilings and doors
        09/24/08
        Important finishing electric additions include EXIT lights and emergency lights.



        The suspended ceiling seemed to take a long time to get done (due to complicated electrical and HVAC "guts")... holding up our final coat of paint.





        J

      • Wheelchair accessible
        09/20/08
        Chris' crew prepares for the cement walk that will provide wheelchair access to the front door.





        The cement is poured and the hand-made bollards are installed.
        (What is a bollard?)




      • The hot weekend
        09/15/08
        Saturday 9/13 was a great day -- it was very hot (90) but we had a large work party.



        One of the major jobs undertaken was spreading topsoil so we could get the bare areas seeded. Also, mulch was applied around the planted areas. This was hard, hot labor using wheelbarrows.
      • ~interlude~
        09/14/08
        On Sunday night Victor and I had to go back to the site to retrieve his truck which we had left there.

        It was a beautiful, slightly foggy night with a full moon. Through the oaks Luna appeared in all her mystery. (The little dotted lights at the bottom are the parking lot lights at Stock

      • Elevator parts, and painting (yummy colors)
        09/13/08
        The elevator parts are delivered and await installation.





        While we wait for the electric to connected, everything (tools, lights) has to be run off this generator:



        Painting continues apace!
        The yellow chosen for the sanctuary varies by qu

      • Get ready for the elevator. And Hanna.
        09/07/08
        Volunteer work can be very professionally done, as seen here in the tile work that T.J. Jannsch and his dad are doing in the downstairs bathrooms.


        Classrooms now are almost ready to paint.


        Did you ever wonder how drywallers get the "mud" (spackle) up onto

      • Taking shape
        09/05/08
        A few days later, the sanctuary is sheetrocked and now feels like a real room!
        What a serene green view out those doorways.


        Looking towards the back of the sanctuary.
        The kitchen pass-through is on the right side. Also visible on the right is the door to the stairwell do

    • August
      • Insulation everywhere
        08/31/08
        Insulation goes into the sanctuary walls and high ceiling.


        And the foyer gets special foil-backed insulation.


        Jesse relaxes after a particularly difficult color-picking meeting!
        Then it's off to make more decisions.

      • Doors for the door frames!
        08/27/08
        Doors have been installed!

        This is in the rear of the building, leading to the back deck.


        The front doors are similar in style, but cranberry red.

      • Volunteer work
        08/24/08
        Second time around for seeding some of these areas, after having been ravaged by construction equipment. Here we also see the base of one of the parking lot light standards. (also, to the left in the huckleberries, is our trusty portapotty!)


        Volunteer work galore, especially in t

      • Deck construction and electricity galore
        08/21/08
        We're starting to see the color scheme come alive here, with the siding of yellow and green, white trim, and red metal roof over the portico. The pile of lumber, siding, and drywall scraps will be sorted into recyclable and non-recyclable portions, as required by LEED guidelines.

      • Door frames!
        08/16/08
        The door frames arrive and are installed in the front...



        and in the sanctuary leading to the deck...




        More electrical work on the exterior of the building:


        Blowers that are hiding in the attic surrounding the foyer will deliver wa

      • Work on the classroom level
        08/09/08
        Framing continues apace in the classroom level. Here are three classrooms (next to the big meeting room, where big piles of drywall await installation), and we can see that the ceiling has been sheetrocked.




        The lower level has foam installation (blue), and will have su

      • Geothermal
        08/05/08
        Here we have the beginnings of our geothermal installation, in which water is pumped from the underground aquifer and reinjected back into the aquifer.





        Several weeks later, it grew more complicated with the addition of connections to six heat pumps.

    • July
      • Elevator work, electrical begins, geothermal drilled
        07/26/08
        The elevator shaft is boxed in.
        Upstairs:



        and downstairs:



        The electrical wiring begins.
        It is done with metal-shielded product that minimizes the risk and damage in case of fire.



        We have some more new signs out front,

      • Ductwork
        07/18/08
        Sanctuary ceiling before the ductwork began:





        Ductwork delivered and piled waiting for installation:



        First the duct outflows are installed:



        Then the ductwork with insulating wrappers are put into the ceiling:

      • Green roofing
        07/12/08
        The roof is undergoing a transformation from lumber, to tarpaper, to eco-friendly slate-look tiles!





        Chris Holaday and his able team apply the fancy-schmancy eco-friendly roof tiles.



        Designed to mimic slate, they are actually made of recycled

    • June
      • Summer Solstice service - June 22, 2008
        06/24/08
        Another lovely service not IN, but just OUTSIDE, our new UU Center!



      • Building update from Captain Richard
        06/20/08




        The construction of the new UU Center has been proceeding very strongly. As of June 18, the entire shell of the building has been constructed, framing of the rooms at the sanctuary level is complete, and framing of the classroom level rooms is underway. Under-floor plumbin

      • The sad saga of the sod
        06/03/08
        Our Watering Wizards are a team of dedicated volunteers that spend 90 to 120 minutes each day watering the areas where we are required to grow grass, in order to stabilize the soil around the retention basin, so as to prevent erosion.


        There was some erosion occurring due to recent h

    • May
      • Roof tarpapered... and a first peek at that famous window!
        05/31/08


        View from the north: do you notice it?....


        There's our portico roof over the main entrance!


        Looking straight through to the east end of the Sanctuary...


        A few days later, we can see what "Betsy's window" will look lik

      • New signage
        05/17/08
        We have some new signs at our site:



        Thanks Chris!


      • More framing
        05/10/08
        Picture a spiritual home taking shape...









        P.S. Compare the grass in the picture above, taken May 10, with the one in the previous posting
        (just below), taken May 3.

      • Roof trusses up
        05/03/08
        The building is really taking shape and can be seen from the road.


        The additional trusses for the foyer part of the building can be seen propped against the left front of the building waiting to be installed.


        Rather cathedralesque view here, eh?

      • Growing grass
        05/01/08
        April 11. Pineland regulations required we grow grass around our retention basin. We sowed the seeds, a mixture of perennial ryegrass, creeping red fescue, and kentucky bluegrass, with some other native grasses mixed in, then had to cover it with straw blankets to aid in germination and to prevent

    • April
      • Sunday, April 13 -- First service IN our building!
        04/14/08
        First, Richard and Chris sweep last night's rain off our floor.


        Prim and Marci set up the simple chalice table -- hoping it won't blow away.


        John Searight and Jon Luoma are pressed into service as traffic control.


        Who woulda thunk a bullho

      • Floor joists go in
        04/12/08
        Metal stairs are in, and now the floor joists and floor can be put in.




        Chris Holaday and his crew starts installing the joists and floor.




        Better hurry up, because in two days, we're having our FIRST Sunday service inside the building,

    • March
      • Septic done and steel started
        03/20/08
        The backfilling is now done and you can walk up to the classroom level concrete walls and peer in. Below you can see the piers for the back deck (east side of the building).



        The steel (by New Jersey Iron Co.) is starting to be erected and you can see now how tall the building

      • Classroom level walls are up
        03/13/08
        During the last week of February, the concrete was poured that will form the walls of the classroom (lower) level. Here you see Richard and Chris reviewing plans for the walls on the south side, where the stairwell will be.



        I'm guessing Chris has little fear of heights, a

    • March
      • Footings are poured!
        02/11/08
        In the foreground of the first picture you can see the orange clay soil that is lining the very large retention basin, which is mandated by local and Pinelands regulations to catch rainwater runoff. This will be bounded by native vegetation, but a fence surrounding it will not be required.
    • January
      • Excavation and site work
        01/20/08
        The earthmovers are here!

        The top soil has been moved into large piles:



        They're digging out the retention basin (it's huge!):



        And are grading the area (below, to the left is where the actual building will be). The crushed stone drive

      • Status of work and timeline
        01/18/08
        Tree Removal -- Complete

        Charles Auchter completed his work in record time and did an excellent job. We actually adjusted our clearing line wherever we could save an extra tree.

        Earth Work -- 20% complete

        The top soil has been removed and placed in two piles for fut

      • Goodbye trees
        01/17/08
        We're very sorry to see the trees go....
        but construction is really, truly, finally under way!

        The area was cleared during the week of January 7 thru 11.

        The top picture was taken at our Groundbreaking, November 18, 2007.
        The remainder were taken January 8,9, a

  • 2007
    • December
      • Many many details
        12/20/07
        As you all know we have had Galloway Township Site Plan approval for some time.

        The Atlantic County Planning Department also approved our Site Plan at a hearing on December 5. We have paid a $1,680 corridor assessment, submitted legal documents having to do with Rights-of-way, and a roa

    • November
      • The Breaking of the Ground, Sunday, November 18, 2007
        11/24/07


        Our ground is blessed and broken. For those who were not among the 70 people there, the skies were dark, and there was a light drizzle, but it did not dampen spirits.

        We walked in to Barbara Miller’s drumbeat, followed by a flute solo by Jessi April. Two hawks and some blue

    • October
      • Groundbreaking!
        10/23/07
        Our groundbreaking will be on Sunday, November 18, 2007 at 1:00 pm.

        Earlier that morning, we are honored to have Richard Speck, District Executive for the Joseph Priestley District of the UUA, speak to us at our morning service at 10:00 am. After the service, we will have a potluck lunche

      • Updated Floor Plans
        10/20/07
        First floor plans.

        This includes the entry hall, kitchen, sanctuary, and bathrooms.




        Ground floor plans.

        This includes the classrooms, nursery, and office space.



    • September
      • Almost Ready for Site Work!
        09/28/07
        The surveying of our building site will be conducted on Monday, October 1. The surveyors will locate the tree clearing line, the location of the two islands in the parking lot, and the construction road entrance. They will also provide us with an elevation benchmark to guide our future construction

      • Township approval!
        09/13/07
        About 20 members of the congregation were in attendance at the Galloway Planning Board meeting. The application was presented to the Board and questions were answered. The vote to approve our application was unanimous. Hooray!

        A hearty thank you to our WHOLE team (both inside and outside

      • Architectural Drawings
        09/04/07
        Here are the most recent drawings.
        Click on any image to see a bigger version.

        The main entrance faces west:



        The south faces Pomona Road:



        The east end of the building has double doors exiting from the sanctuary onto a deck with stairs:
      • September 2007 news
        09/01/07
        Success!

        On Thursday, August 23, the Galloway Township Planning Board deemed our application complete. We are now on the agenda for Thursday, September 13, when we hope to get final approval of our project. We will be asking as many of our congregants as possible to attend the Septemb

    • August
      • August 2007 news
        08/05/07
        Finally, we have a great deal of good news to report. In late June, and after what often seemed like an interminable wait, the congregation received the form called the Certificate of Filing from the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. This is a breakthrough! The certificate allows us finally to app

    • July
      • July 9 news
        07/09/07
        Our application for site plan approval will be submitted to Galloway Township by July 16 (our original target was June 4). Likely, we will break ground on December 3 now rather than November 12 – only a three-week delay. Before then, we will be completing several applications and seeking a host of a

      • Certificate of Filing obtained!
        07/06/07
        This is what we've been waiting for -- for seemingly a long time! We now have in hand our Certificate of Filing. This is a major hurdle in what is required from the Pinelands Commssion.

        More details, courtesy of Jon Luoma:

        Some of you have already heard, but for all who d

    • June
    • May
      • May 2007 news
        05/02/07
        Good news! For those who haven’t heard, the congregation in late April got a “pass” on the second season of pine snake trapping from the Pinelands Commission.

        Last fall, Pinelands had rejected a suggestion that we simply protect a large parcel of potential habitat by deed-restricting t

    • March
      • March 2007 news
        03/01/07

        As we’ve reported in the past, progress on all the needed local permits for our future building has been delayed by a requirement that we conduct a two season (last fall, and a coming spring-summer period) drift net trapping survey to determine if any northern pine snakes, a threatened species

    • January
      • January 2007 news
        01/01/07
        It’s been a very busy stretch for the Home Team (building committee). We reported in the November newsletter that, at the urging of several team members and the congregation’s Board, we were looking hard at the prospect of expanding our building, in light of the dramatic recent growth in our congre

  • 2006
    • November
      • November 2006 news
        11/01/06
        Most of you know that the Pinelands Commission has required us to conduct a trapping study to rule out the possibility that the threatened Northern Pine Snake forages on our land. After services on October 15, some of us from the congregation had the opportunity to tramp through the underbrush to se

    • October
      • October 2006 news
        10/01/06
        Stockton student Phil Skipwith has been surveying the snake traps on our property for Herpetological Associates, as part of our response to the Pinelands Commission decision that we needed to perform a full drift fence survey for the northern pine snake. Phil is a junior biology major and an avid h

    • September
      • September 2006 news
        09/01/06
        At this point, several critical pieces related to building our new home on Pomona Road have fallen into place, or nearly so. The Home Team met recently to refine several points of our architect's building design, which is now nearly complete. We hope to have the option of adding a deck off the

    • May
      • May 2006 news
        05/01/06
        You may think there’s not much going on with our new church home. But it's been an extremely busy (and exciting, even amazing) month for your Home Team (building committee). We've met with Marathon, our site engineering firm, to develop an initial draft of a siting plan, Chris Holaday and

    • April
      • April 2006 news
        04/01/06
        You've probably heard of the old Chinese blessing/curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Well, it's been an interesting several weeks for your Home Team (building committee) and, by extension, the Board. After a long meeting, Home Team members, along with President Paul Utts, came t

    • March
      • March 2006 news
        03/01/06
        We know there hasn't been much news here from the Home Team (the committee focused on getting our new congregational "home" built) That's because, like a ship on a long-becalmed sea, progress has been stalled while we waited for detailed bids from three site-engineering firms, a

  • 2005
    • November
      • November 2005 news
        11/01/05
        The Home Team (building committee) has had a busy several weeks lining up interviews with architects for our new building on Pomona Road, and we think we’re days away, at this writing, from making a recommendation to the board on which one to hire. More about that soon, and it promises to be exciti

    • October
      • October 2005 news
        10/01/05
        As most of you already know, the Board has decided to retain an architectural firm (or architect-regulatory planner), not only to help us with design, but to guide us through the time-consuming and sometimes difficult process of gaining environmental and other permits.

        The Home Team has

    • September