LEAVE A LEGACY: Frequently Asked Questions When is the construction on the project slated to begin? We hope to start construction in May, 2007. The architect and consultants have indicated that a project of this scale will require approximately 4 months to complete. This will require the 2006-2007 school year to end early and the 2007-2008 year to start a bit late. Both the length of the school day and the holiday schedule will be adjusted in order to minimize any loss of instructional hours. The cost of the project will only escalate if we are forced to wait another year for construction to begin. This necessarily places a great deal of pressure on the fundraising campaign over the next few months as the Archdiocese requires 60% of the cash to be in hand in order for the actual building to start. Now is the time to make your decision to leave a legacy for future generations of St. Rose students. Why do we need an addition to the school building? The present school building was constructed in 1950 and has served our students well over the last 56 years. While the basic classrooms continue to function very well, the school lacks an up-to-date science lab, an adequate library space or well designed areas for computer instruction. Administrative offices and teacher work space are essentially absent in the current facility. The portable classrooms which currently house middle school students have well exceeded their usable life span and need to be replaced. This project will address these and other parish needs and serve our children for many years to come. Where will we park for Mass? The school addition will extend into and somewhat beyond the footprint of the current portable classrooms. The parish will acquire Colorado Street in front of Father Mulligan Hall. It will be used for school drop-off during the week and parking on the weekends. Additional handicapped parking will be placed between the school addition and the back of the church. Of course, premium parking spots will continue to be up for bid at the school auction! What went into the planning for this project? The St. Rose School Long Range Plan of 2002 first detailed the specific shortcomings of the current facility which an update needed to address. This was then further developed during the long range planning process undertaken by the Master's Planning Committee in 2003-2004. Two different school auctions provided the seed money for the architect and engineers to complete the pre-schematic conceptual design phase of the project. This money also paid for a feasibility study of the project by a Portland firm. All of this information was then presented to the Pastoral Council, the Finance Council, and ultimately the Archdiocesan Building Council and Archdiocesan Parish Revolving Fund. Additionally, the architect and project leaders have attended numerous meetings with the city of Longview. How will the building project be financed? The project as currently conceived has been estimated to cost approximately $2.8 million in 2007 dollars. Of this, we will need to have 60% cash in hand for the construction to begin. The rest will be financed by a loan from the Archdiocese Parish Revolving Fund. This loan will need to be paid off from pledges collected over the next three to five years. The parish leadership has also agreed to consider the possibility of an additional loan, depending on the results of the fundraising campaign. How and when are we going to make pledge payments? Pledge payments may be either paid up front or spread out over a maximum of five years. St. Rose Parish staff has established an account with the Archdiocese which will hold the funds until they are needed for the construction. The parish will gladly accept checks, credit cards, and donations of stock or other securities. Forms will be provided to those who wish the parish to automatically charge their checking or savings account each month. Pledge statements will be sent on a regular basis to donors who have elected to spread out their payments. What will happen to the existing school facility? Our existing school building will continue to be used for its classrooms and gymnasium. The carpeting was replaced fairly recently and the bathrooms are new. Seismic upgrades to the building were completed several years ago. Nearly all of the windows are new and the boiler is in very good shape. The administrative offices will be moved to the new addition. In fact, the only part of the existing school to be placed will be the portable classrooms. Do we now own Colorado Street? The City of Longview has agreed to vacate the one block stretch of Colorado Street in front of Father Mulligan Hall. The house owned by the parish directly southwest of Fr. Mulligan Hall was removed in late November for rerouting of the alley. Who will be asked to give to the campaign? We hope that every family in the school and parish will choose to participate in the Building For Tomorrow Today Campaign. This project belongs to all of us! Every gift, no matter how large or small, is surely needed and deeply appreciated. We will also reach out to alumni, extended family (e.g. grandparents), and foundations. The school and campaign leadership have elected to move forward without the assistance of professional fundraisers at this time. We believe that our parish and school family is best served by directing all of the funds raised to the school project. |
