Our Needs

Our Church Facility Needs

Exterior & Infrastructure Problems

HVAC: Our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is old, ineffective, and cost and energy inefficient. The air conditioner has failed, and the church attic’s poor ventilation has caused moisture damage to the ceilings and walls.
Water Damage: Our gutters and downspouts are in disrepair so pooling water has damaged the basement. The church interior also has water damage because the building’s perimeter leaks.
West Entrance: The corroded and cracking railings and cracked and crumbling steps are an unsightly and unsafe welcome to our church.

Worn, Outdated, & Distracting Interior

Walls, Ceiling, Floor, and Pews: The church’s interior walls, ceiling, and arches are cracked, flaking, and peeling. The flooring is outdated and worn out. And, our scratched, warped, and worn pews are set uncomfortably close together.
Accessibility: The altar platform steps prohibit those with mobility issues from easily participating in all service activities. We also do not have appropriate wheelchair sanctuary seating areas.
Lighting & Audio Systems: The church’s lighting is dim, has limited control capabilities and is not very cost or energy efficient. The audio system is old, inefficient, and doesn’t include hearing assistance devices.
Mismatched Furnishings: Our altar, ambo, tabernacle, baptismal font and votive candle holders are made of different materials in different styles. Our crucifix is too small and not very prominent. And, our treasured Mary and Joseph statues are faded. All of these make our sanctuary less pleasing, calming, and beautiful.
Tabernacle and Baptistery: Our diocese now requests our tabernacle be reverently located behind the altar. Also out of place is our small baptismal font that is now located where it is difficult for people to see and gather.
Choir & Reconciliation Room: The small choir area set to the side makes it difficult for cantors, choir members and instrumentalists to effectively lead us in hymns of praise. And the reconciliation room’s location can create a bottleneck between the Parish Center and church.
Cry Room: We have no quiet place for families to take their small and occasionally disruptive children during Mass where they can still see, hear, and participate in our liturgies and celebrations.

Balcony Issues

Unsafe Conditions: The balcony railing is dangerously low and does not meet current safety codes. And the balcony floor’s steep step makes it difficult to safely move around there.
AV System: The lack of audio/video hookups inhibits options like filming from this ideal vantage point to stream services online and to the gym during overflow holiday services.

Basement/Lunchroom & School Kitchen Problems

HVAC: There is no air conditioning to control humidity which has caused mold problems in the storage and hall area. And the old heating system is so ineffective many school children wear winter coats during their lunch period.
Lighting, Ceiling, and Floor: The lighting system is old, ineffective, and not energy efficient; the ceiling tile is discolored and damaged; and the flooring is outdated, cracked, and worn out.
Kitchen Area: The small kitchen area can quickly become crowded. This makes it difficult to prepare and serve meals for larger activities and groups.
Appliances: The kitchen appliances are outdated, not up to current code, and inefficient – five freezers are scattered throughout the space.

Our Parish Center Facility Needs

Infrastructure & Interior Concerns

HVAC: The HVAC systems in both the Parish Center and gym are nearing the end of their useful lives and is neither very effective nor energy or cost efficient.
Water Damage: The parish center’s perimeter has leaks that continue to cause interior water damage.
Lighting, Flooring, and Acoustics: The Parish Center and gym lighting systems are dim, have insufficient controls and are not very cost or energy efficient. In the Parish Center, the lower level flooring is cracked and worn out, and the foyer’s poor acoustics makes it difficult to hear, especially when large groups gather.

Gymnasium & Kitchen Issues

Locker Rooms and Storage: The locker rooms are too large for our needs and there isn’t enough gym and parish center storage. The result is we use the locker rooms for storage. Also, the locker rooms’ inefficient ventilation system does not meet code.
Kitchen: The Parish Center’s kitchen is small, inefficient for large group meal service, and has appliances that are outdated and do not meet code.

Even though our parish center is just 20 years old, it needs maintenance and updates that will be most cost effective if made at the same time as our other improvements.

Our School Facility & Other Needs

School

Safety & Security Concerns

Entrances: The school’s entrances are not safe, welcoming, or easily identifiable for our students, families, and visitors. They are not handicap accessible, the concrete is worn and cracked, and the south side main entrance is not very prominent.
Offices: Our school offices are scattered throughout the building so it is impossible to monitor and control school access.

Infrastructure & Interior Issues

HVAC: The boilers and pumps are 27 years old and near the end of their usefulness. There is no central air conditioning so we have individual classroom units that are ineffective, expensive, noisy, and take up valuable classroom space.
Water Damage: Water infiltration has damaged the school’s interior. The hallway locker bottoms are rusted, and we suspect there is mold behind them due to a roof leak that has been repaired.
Lighting, Electrical, and Fire Systems: Our dim light fixtures are outdated, and not very cost or energy efficient. As are our outdated electrical panels and equipment and our fire alarm detection and notification system.
Restrooms: Our restrooms’ original plumbing and fixtures are unsightly and unsanitary; the walls and floors are dated, discolored, and damaged; and the rooms are not handicapped accessible or code compliant.
Playground: Our playground equipment is worn out, and additional green space is needed for recess and games.

Parish Grounds

Grounds & Landscaping Issues

Lighting: Our exterior lighting is too limited and dim which makes our campus less safe and secure than it should be.
Accessibility: Our elevator entrance has no outside sign so those needing elevator access can’t easily find it.
Landscaping: Our landscaping is not as well maintained or beautiful as it should be.

Financial

Reserve Fund

We have no money set aside in a reserve fund for future emergencies or to be proactive in keeping our facilities well maintained.