Mother Seton Church Construction

[Like the church itself, this page has taken a while getting off the ground -- and it, too, is still under construction.]

Descriptions on the left have been adapted from the construction updates given each Sunday as apart of the weekly Mass announcements. Photos were taken usually once each week, although some weeks were missed. Additional photos will be added as time permits. The panorama images (starting with November, 2003) were created using PanoramaMaker®, "stitching" together two or more digital photos. The software sometimes induces some distortions and errors (buildings tilt slightly, cables have gaps, etc.), but the end result is worth the effort. All photos were taken by Jim Cook, unless noted otherwise, and may be used freely by parishioners and any others having a hand in the construction of our new church.

Please Note: Clicking on the photo or its date will open a seperate browser window to display the image. [Also, for additional photos, see the Wurick Family MSN Groups online photo album.]

2002

On May 19, 2002, Cardinal McCarrick, County Executive Doug Duncan, our founding pastor Father Hurley, our current pastor Father Potts, and a "host of others" were on hand for the ground breaking ceremony.

August, 2003

[08/24/03] St. Joseph's Chapel was demolished this past Thursday. The tree roots of the three large oaks along the sidewalk have been pruned and fenced in for protection during the construction. Silt fences have been installed according to County specifications. County inspection of these items is pending.

[08/31/03] The fence surrounding the entire building site has been installed. Excavation has begun to remove trees, debris and top soil. Surveying for the major excavation was completed on Friday.

September, 2003

09/07/03] Work crews continued clearing, excavating and grading the grounds.

[09/14/03] The building permit was released by the County earlier this week. This will hopefully allow for the construction schedule to be published soon. The major excavating for the church has been completed. Our outdoor shed has been relocated from the side of the parish center to the back.

[09/21/03] Due to Hurricane Isabel, the footings were not installed this week, however surveyors were able to mark out the walls, corners, and piers. Work on the footings is planned for the coming week.

[09/28/03] Recent rains from Hurricane Isabel and the storm the following Monday night have prevented digging the footings. However the needed materials have been prepared and will be ready when digging commences. The footprint for the ventilation system was excavated.

October, 2003

[10/05/03] Two-thirds of the footings for the new church are now complete. Whiting-Turner and the contractors want to thank you for your prayers for dry weather, and they encourage you to keep praying.

[10/12/03] Work continues on the footings for the building perimeter and concrete pads for the steel columns which will support the upper floor. The forms for the concrete walls arrived this past week.

[10/19/03]

[10/26/03] Work continues on the footings and preparation for the first section of the walls for concrete. Surveyors set the coordinates for the elevator pit and other wall sections.

Photos from August, September and October, 2003, were taken on regular print film and a number still need to be scanned. They will be added here at some point in the future.

Photos taken from November, 2003 on were taken with a digital camera. Panorama images were made using PanoramaMaker ®.

November, 2003

[11/02/03] Despite the wet weather, the footings have been completed. Most of the concrete bases for the steel have been poured. Work continues on the wall forms in preparation for the concrete pour.

[11/09/03] The [violent/tornadic?] storm this past Wednesday prevented the final preparation of the wall form, thus postponing the concrete pour.

[11/16/03] The concrete was poured into the wall forms on Friday and the forms will be removed this Monday. Plumbing work is underway laying pipes below the eventual basement slab, and on the water and sewer hook-ups. Whiting-Turner has given us a projected completion date for the new church of November, 2004.

[11/23/03] The second wall section is being prepared for a concrete pour on Wednesday, weather permitting. Plumbing work continues on the sewer and water pipes.

[11/30/03] The second wall section was poured as planned. Plumbing and electrical work continues installing pipes and conduit for the lower level.

December, 2003

[12/14/04] The plumbing which needed to be installed before the basement slab could be poured has been completed and approved by the County inspector. Contractors have been preparing the next wall section to be poured this coming week.

[12/21/03] The foundation walls for the elevator shaft and the remaining pads for the steel piers were poured this week. The next wall section is being formed and fitted with rebar. Weather permitting, the next wall section will be poured this coming week.

January, 2004

[01/11/04] The contractors have poured the fourth section of the basement walls and they will continue to form the next section. Great progress has been made in preparing the ground for the basement slab.

[01/18/04] Contractors poured 60% of the basement slab this past week. Weather permitting, the remaining walls will be completed in the next 10 days. The structural steel for the lower level will be delivered in the next two weeks.

February, 2004

[02/01/04] Contractors set a good number of steel columns and beams on the lower level this week. The last section of the wall is formed and will be poured this week (weather permitting). The decking material is expected to arrive this week as well.

[02/08/04] The final wall section was poured this week and the forms will be removed on Monday. The remaining steel columns and beams for the lower level will be installed this week, and the arrival of the decking is expected this week, as well. The crane will be moved in order to reopen the fire lane.

[02/15/04] The lower level steel was completed. The forms for the lower walls have been removed. The decking materials have arrived and are being installed this week.

[02/22/04] The decking has been installed on the first level of the church. Contractors will continue to weld it into place.

02/29/04] This past week, contractors began waterproofing the lower level exterior walls. The drain tile installation has begun. Securing the decking material to the beams continues. The installation of edging around the perimeter of the upper level continues. Beginning this coming week, the wire mesh will be installed in preparation for the upper level slab.

March, 2004

[03/07/04] Contractors were expected to complete pouring the main floor slab this week, and to begin backfilling around the lower level church perimeter.

[03/14/04] Pouring of the Concrete Slab was completed, while preparations were made to pour the remaining slab on the lower level. Backfilling has begun along the exterior of the lower level.

[03/21/04] The backfilling along the perimeter of the new church continues. The mechanical and storage rooms have been poured. The remaining lower lever slab is being prepared for ac concrete pour this week.

[03/28/04] The remaining sections of the lower level slab were poured. Backfilling continues around the foundation. Installation will start on the drain pipes for down spouts, as well as formation of the sanctuary steps.

April, 2004

[04/04/04] 75% of the pipe installation for the down spouts has been completed. Work started on the framework for the sanctuary steps. The steel for the upper structure of the church will arrive April 12 and erection of the steel framework, requiring two large cranes, will begin shortly after.

[04/18/04] The steel for the upper church has arrived. Some of the steel columns have been set. Contractors have been assembling the first truss, which will be put in place this coming week. Truss "A" as it is known will run from the vestibule to the sanctuary -- it weighs 28,000 pounds. Work continues on tying the drain spouts into the sewer system on the new water line for the church.

[04/25/04] The water and sewer lines have been hooked up and approved by the county. The pad for the church door facing the parish center was poured as were the footings for the sidewalk along the side of the church facing the condominiums. Truss "A" was welded together this week and is ready to be hoisted into place this coming week.

May, 2004

[05/02/04] The large "A" trusses have been set along side of the "B" trusses this past week. Contractors will continue to set the rest of the the steel in the next few weeks. The retaining wall on the sidewalk on the condominium side of the church and on the grade slab for the vestibule will be poured this week. The installation of the lower level duct work will also begin this coming week. The plumber will continue to work on the lower level bathrooms.

[05/09/04] The erection of the steel roof structures will continue this week. The light gauge steel studs, which will be used in the construction of the church walls, arrive this week. The concrete for the retaining wall and vestibule will be poured on Monday since it rained last Wednesday.

[05/23/04] The vestibule slab and sanctuary floor will be poured this week. The contractors will continue to form up the walls of the church with the light gauge steel studs.

[05/30/04] The walls of the new church are going up and will continue to go do so. The masonry blocks will arrive this week and will be stored in our parking lot near the Whiting-Turner trailer -- please use caution. The masons should start the block work during the next two weeks.

June, 2004

[06/06/04] The masons have begun facing the exterior walls with the split face block on the lower level. They have also been constructing the elevator machine room on the lower level. The vestibule and sanctuary slabs were poured this week. The fireproofing for the lower level will begin this coming week. The cornerstone has been placed in front of the alter and will be blessed at the 12 Noon Mass on June 6.

[06/13/04] The contractors continue to frame the walls and have begun working on the roof supports. The fireproofing was completed in the lower level. The masons will continue their work on the split face block around the perimeter of the building.

[06/20/04] The masons are completeing their preliminary work. Weather permitting, backfilling will begin around the perimeter of the church. The contractor will continue working on the roof.

[06/27/04] The contractor will continue working on the light gauge framing of the walls and roof supports. The final welding of the clevises on the steel trusses is complete. Weather permitting, Gabe's will begin filling in the dirt around the perimeter of the new church this coming week.