Rectory Update

You may have noticed that the blog got very quiet during August, but this is not for lack of activity with the rectory on its' new site!  Masons have been busy building the foundation walls of the basement for the rectory and while they do that Wolfe Builders pulls out the steel beams that were used to support the building for the move.  Once the walls of the foundation are in place, it will be graded appropriately so that the building no longer appears to be so high above the ground.

Going on simultaneously on the inside is the work that was begun this week on the flooring system for the back half of the house (the addition).  Originally, when the addition was put on the house, the floor was one step down from the original house, so the priests would have to step up or down into or out of their living quarters.  There was no basement under the addition and it had to move without a floor which afforded us the ability in having to put in a new floor to make the floors meet so that there is not a step.  The addition which is becoming communal living space for the priests, to include a living room, a chapel, and a guest suite, will feel a part of the original house now without a step.

The "New" Neighbors!

Father Kean received a warm welcome by his "new" neighbors  - Sister Catherine & Sister Christine! 

The move is here!



Ta-dah! The rectory has been moved! What a great day!
Thank you to everyone who came out to watch!

 

The new view from the High School side of Manor Avenue!



Almost there!

 

While being positioned in the new spot, the side door blew open.
I think it was trying to tell us that the priests need to come home!



Rectory slowly moving towards the new site!



Rectory passing the new location as they ready the site to properly position the house.

 

Rectory just passing by the Convent!



Front of the Convent meet the back of the Rectory!



Slowly making its way towards the front of the convent!



Old location of the rectory after the basement was filled in!

The day is finally here to move the rectory which will make room for our new church! In fact, it started to move earlier than expected! I will be keeping everyone up to date through out the day with pictures of the process!

Keep watching!

Jeannine Zack will be my blogger replacement while I am on vacation next week...she will keep you posted each day as to the happenings of the rectory in its' new location....so stay tuned and keep watching all the developments as they happen with this incredible project! 

JZack incognito

Controls

The control box that registers pressure points to equalize and stabilize the building during the jacking up process.  This process is all done by monitoring pressure in order to keep the building balanced.  The wheels are now located under the building for tomorrow's move.

The Date is Set!

Come on out and join us in this historic moment as we watch the rectory move from its' current location where it has been located for seventy years to its' new location on the other side of the convent! The date is Friday, 7/29, at 10AM...bring your lawn chairs as the actual move is expected to take 2 -3 hours.

Blessing of the Ground July 24th

On Sunday, July 24th, at 1pm parishioners gathered for a blessing of the ground upon which our new church will sit.  The rectory is currently sitting in the footprint of the new church and therefore the reason for the big move this week!

High & Dry!

The rectory high over the original foundation as they work underneath knocking down the foundation to fill the hole.  The rectory expects to make its' grand entrance at the new locale on Thursday, 7/28!

Jacked Up and Ready To Roll

The wheels on which the rectory will make its' move!

Appears to be floating on air as it is jacked up off the foundation preparing to move

Update on the Schedule

Let's Get Moving!

The latest on the rectory move schedule is that it will be mid week next week, Wednesday or Thursday. I expect to have further details a little later!

Moving Day

Holes in the foundation that beams are inserted through to run through the yellow 60' crossbeam (constructed specifically for our project!) that can be seen  through the rubble!

This morning Jim from Premier Construction told me that the rectory move will NOT occur on Monday, but will likely be either on Tuesday, 7/26, or Wednesday, 7/27 as Wolfe Builders continue to work on the steel beaming process that acts as the foundation for the house during the move.  Stay tuned to the blog for updates to the schedule!

How Many Priests Have Walked Through This Door?

The Priest's entrance to the rectory

Msgr. McLoone & Fr. Kean in their new digs?

Holes!

The new foundation being dug for the rectory.  The house will move weather permitting on Monday, 7/25 to this spot and be placed over the hole awaiting the foundation to be built up to the house.  There is a very nice tree lined view to the side and back of the new location!

A Little Bit of History

These are the original May 31, 1941 plans drawn in pencil on onion skin paper by James M. Cohen, Contractor for Mr. & Mrs. Harry Cole.  I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Cole, their son, who grew up in this family home.  The Cole's sold it to the Archdiocese in the 1970's.  Bill, now 81 years old,  fondly recalls many wonderful Thanksgiving meals in this home.

The Road Less Traveled

The rectory will soon "hit the road" as it moves to its' new location, weather permitting next Monday, 7/25! This is a view of the path that it will travel.

Moving Pains!

The front of the rectory is no longer so tranquil in appearance, the turmoil within now shows without as we inch ever closer to moving day!

Inside, Outside, Upside Down

The demolition of what once was the parish offices at the rectory location in preparation for the move.  The first floor of the addition, because it was built on slab, will become floorless and move on beams.  The walls are gutted to prepare for interior renovations to include a foyer, living room, chapel, guest suite, powder room, and laundry room for our priests.  Premier Construction Inc has taken care to save fixtures and doors that may be reusable in the renovations.

Beam It Up!

Steel Beam to go underneath the house for moving

Steel beam in place, right front corner of the house through the foundation

Hovering over ground!

The rectory appears to be hovering over it's current foundation as Wolfe Movers prepare it for the steel beaming that will support the house for the move.  Eventually the basement underneath the original house will be filled in to await the building of the new church which will in part sit on the current rectory site.

Room With A Changing View!

Msgr. McLoone and Fr. Kean reside on opposite sides of the rectory and for some time now have each enjoyed these respective views from their windows:

Msgr. McLoone's view of the Blessed Mother statue

Fr. Kean's view of the Sisters of the IHM convent

  It appears that while all remains the same on the inside of their rectory suites, when they look out their windows, the view will be very different!

Msgr. McLoone's new view of the Sisters of the IHM convent

Fr. Kean's new view of the tree lined property border

Mountains of Dirt!

Digging, digging, digging, dirt removed from around the foundation is piled on the convent side of the rectory (well the current convent side....)

Preparing the Exterior

Wolfe House Movers LLC has arrived! Utilities are cut and capped, porches are being removed, foundation holes are being cut, all sorts of construction equipment onsite....it is now clear from the outside that this move is definitely happening.  Wolfe will insert steel beams, 2-3 layers of steel running each direction in preparation to jack the rectory up and set wheels underneath for the move across the lawn scheduled to happen the week of July 25th.

From There to Here!

Rectory shrubs and flowers are finding their new home around the school thanks to the generous stewardship of Ed Karcewski and his team from Environmental Designscapes LLC.  The crew was already hard at work this morning as I arrived for Mass at 7AM!  They lifted the plants and shrubs from around the rectory and found suitable places to transplant them.  All of this in the nick of time for tomorrow's tasks which involve Wolfe House Movers LLC readying the foundation for the move!

Tranquility stops at the front door!

From the outside, the rectory looks as though it is just another day, but on the inside change is rapidly occuring as Jim Kammerer, Premier Construction Company, prepares the building for the move.  First item of the day was to disconnect the utilities.  While that was going on, Jim and his right hand man TJ opened up the drop ceiling in the addition to determine where the structural support for the second floor is.  The rectory addition was built around a stone garage.  These interior stone walls must come down before the house and addition can be moved.  Will this inner turmoil eventually lead to peace within?