The founding ceremony of the symbolic Hagia Sophia, which will be a miniature and replica of the historic church in Constantinople that was turned into a mosque earlier this year, took place in the Syrian province of Hama.

Greek Orthodox militias supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad recently announced that they would build a new church in Syria, a copy of Hagia Sophia, with the help of Russia.

This was in response to the decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque in July.

When will it be ready?

The commander of the Russian Armed Forces group in Syria, Lieutenant General Alexander Chaiko addressed the audience in the ceremony saying, It will be a historical bridge between the best and spiritually moral traditions of the past, present and the future.

According to Chaiko, the construction is projected to be completed within one year and the church will function as an Orthodox place of worship.

What will the mini Hagia Sophia look like?

According to reports, this is a private funding project and has no political framework.

This is a private project, it will also be privately funded. Even the plot on which the church is to be built belongs to a family of Syrian Christians, whose ancestors resisted the Turks in the 1920s, like all Syrians at the time. You do not have to wait for a majestic construction: it will be a small church, said Nabil Abdallah, the commander of the pro-Syrian government National Defense Committee in the city a few days ago.

I do not think it deserves the echo of Hagia Sophia.

He added that the construction of the church was blessed by the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch.

The question remains, will the Greek state contribute to this construction?

With Greece and Syria formalising renewed relations, it appears that Greece can begin its re-established ties with Syria by supporting the Greek Orthodox community in the construction of this cathedral.

Abdullah obtained the approval of Bishop Nicola Baalbaki, the Metropolitan of Hama and its dependencies, to build a new church in the city of Suqaylabiyah in Hama province. The more than 17,000 residents of Suqaylabiyah are overwhelmingly Greek Orthodox, as previously reported by Greek City Times.

The Greek Orthodox militias in Syria, who have remained loyal to the government battling Turkish-backed jihadists, have successfully defending their towns and churches without any assistance from Greece.

For Greece to emerge stronger after this crisis with Turkey, Athens must seriously consider supporting all Greek Orthodox communities wherever they exist in the region, whether it be Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan or Egypt. By not forging strong connections with the Greek Orthodox communities in these countries, we only use geopolitical leverage and influence.

If Greece wants to better secure its geopolitical positioning, it must forge pathways with these countries via the Greek Orthodox community. Greece already disgracefully abandoned Syria and the Greek Orthodox communities to the hordes of Turkish-backed jihadists.

Now if Greece wants to reestablish ties with Syrias Greek Orthodox community, what better way is there then assisting the construction of a Greek Orthodox church in Suqaylabiyah?

More:
Hagia Sophia Replica Location In Syria Is Blessed; Why Isn't Greece Assisting With Construction? - GreekCityTimes.com

Here is the weekly road construction report for District 29:

BRADLEY COUNTY SR-60 Construction of small drainage structures (LM 15.85 and LM 15.90): During this reporting period the contractor will be working on the northbound shoulder of SR-60 (25th Street) near LM 15.85 just north of the intersection with SR-2 (Keith Street). The shoulder of SR-60 will remain closed for the duration of this work. Motorists accessing the shopping plaza at this intersection are advised to use caution and watch for workers and equipment moving in the area.[Whaley Construction, LLC/Wagner/CNU227]

BRADLEY COUNTY Utility Work on SR-2 (KEITH ST.

BRADLEY COUNTY Utility Work on SR-74 (OCOEE ST. N.E.) in both directions from LM 16.26 to LM 16.88: Shoulder and single lane closure between Westview Drive NW and Keith Street NW. Signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM with an estimated completion 11/30/20.

BRADLEY COUNTY I-75 North and South at MM 30: TDOT Materials & Tests crews will conduct core drilling operations on a bridge deck on I-75 in both directions at mile marker 30 on 9/16/20 between 7PM and 2AM. The outside lane will be temporarily closed during drilling operations. TDOT Maintenance will assist with traffic control.[TDOT Materials & Tests]

HAMILTON COUNTY SR-319 Repair of the bridge over the Tennessee River and Riverpark Drive (LM 2.2): The contractor will be performing repair operations to the bridge that will require lane closures in both directions. Extra caution should be observed of trucks entering and exiting the work-zone. During this report period the inside shoulder and inside lane of each direction are closed. Traffic is shifted to the right in both directions. Additional flaggers will be present as needed.[Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU205]

HAMILTON COUNTY The tunnel cleaning of the McCallie Tunnel on US-11(US-64, SR-2), the Stringers Ridge Tunnel on US-127(SR-8), and the Bachman Tubes on US-41 (US-76, S.R.8): On Wednesday, 09/16/20 (8 PM - 6 AM), there will be a tunnel cleaning operation at the McCallie Tunnels. This will be supported by a flagging operation. Later that night, the Stringers Ridge Tunnel will be cleaned & supported by a signed detour.[Diamond Specialized, Inc./Micka/CNU182]

HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 Replacement of Belvoir Ave. bridge over I-24 and I-24 bridges over Germantown Road near MM 183: Lane shifts are in place on I-24 EB and WB under the Belvoir Avenue Bridge, at North and South Terrace approaching the Belvoir Avenue Bridge, and on Germantown Road under the I-24 Bridge. Alternating single and double lane closures will be required on I-24 EB and WB on 09/10/20 and between 09/13/20 through 09/16/20 from 9 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, there will be single lane closures in the north and south directions of Germantown Road under the I-24 Bridge and at the intersections with North and South Terrace. These closures will occur on 09/10/20 and 09/11/20, and between 09/14/20 through 09/16/20 from 9 AM to 6 AM the following morning. Motorists should be aware of the Belvoir Avenue Bridge closure and detour that was put into place on 04/20/20, and the new traffic pattern at Exit 183 on the ramp leading to the intersection of South Terrace and Germantown Road on 08/10/20. There is a 45 MPH speed limit reduction throughout the project corridor on I-24.[Bell and Associates Construction, LP/Blevins/CMGC03]

HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 Resurfacing from the Georgia State line to near the ramp to SR-2 (US-41, US-64, US-11, Cummings Hwy): There will continue to be a paving operation on I-24 EB/WB involving lane closures as follows: Sunday - Thursday (8PM - 6AM). This project is continuous from MM 171 at the Georgia line through MM 178, just west of the US-27 split. Expect significant queueing of traffic. Manned attenuator trucks, variable speed limit signs, and two officers will be assisting in this operation.[Talley Construction Company, Inc./Micka/CNT374]

HAMILTON COUNTY I-75 at I-24 Interchange Reconstruction: Watch for trucks entering and exiting project. Traffic should expect multiple lane shifts traveling through the interchange. Lane closures will occur Sunday nights through Thursday nights between 9 PM and 6 AM at the following locations: I-75 NB MM 1, I-75 SB MM 3 and I-24 EB MM 184.0 Traffic pacing may occur throughout interchange Sunday nights through Thursday nights between 9 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, there may intermittent shoulder closures at various locations for access to the median and roadside areas. I-75 NB to I-24 WB split has been moved back 1500 feet from its previous location. Welcome Center traffic intending to use I-24 WB now, will have to detour on I-75 NB to Exit 3. Detailed detour information will be available at the Welcome Center. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH throughout the interchange. RESTRICTIONS: There is a 14' width restriction on the NB I-75 to WB I-24 interchange ramp. This affects wide loads at approximately MM 1.7.[C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc./Blevins/DB1801]

HAMILTON COUNTY US-27 (I-124) Widening from I-24/US-27 interchange to north of the Olgiati Bridge over the Tennessee River, including widening the Olgiati Bridge: Work on this project continues with activities occurring in the median and shoulders of US-27. Motorists should be alert for construction vehicles entering and exiting the activity area. Motorists should pay close attention to the detour signage posted. The speed limit on US-27 in the construction zone remains 45 MPH. Weather permitting, the contractor may implement temporary lane/shoulder closures on weeknights between the hours of 7 PM and 6 AM. At least one lane will remain open in each direction on US-27. Currently EXIT 1C from northbound US-27 to 4th St. has been closed and is scheduled to reopen on 09/15/20. Motorist should use alternate posted detours at EXITS 1A and 1B from US-27 northbound, to 4th Street. On Thursday, 09/10/20, thru Wednesday, 09/16/20 between the hours of 9 AM to 9PM temporary lane closures will be in place for southbound US-27 from the Olgiati Bridge to I-24 for milling and leveling of the asphalt. A State Trooper is requested for the duration of these scheduled lane closures. On Thursday, 9/10 (9AM 1PM) the US27 SB loop ramp servicing MLK will be closed to support a drilling operation for an overhead sign. Traffic will be signed & detoured to 6th St. RESTRICTIONS: I-124 (US-27)Southbound Exit 1C 4th St Of Ramp: No oversize/over dimensional loads; I-124 (US-27) Southbound Exit 1-B Martin Luther King Blvd. Off Ramp: No oversized/over dimensional loads; Martin Luther King Blvd. between Chestnut St. and Gateway Ave.: No oversized/over dimensional loads.[Dement Construction Company, LLC/Micka/CNP230]

HAMILTON COUNTY TDOT Bridge Inspection on I-24 both directions from MM 178 to MM 181.5: From 7 AM to 5 PM on 09/10/20 and from 7 AM to 5 PM on 09/14/20 through 9/16/20, structure inspections will take place closing the shoulders with a mobile attenuator operation.

HAMILTON COUNTY TDOT Contractor on I-24 in both directions from MM 184.0 to MM 171.0: On Thursday, 9/10/20 (9AM - 6AM), the contractor will be installing Emergency Mile Marker signs along the median of I-24 WB. Work start at about MM 184.0 and proceed WB. On Sunday, 9/13 thru Wed ,9/16, the contractor will proceed with the sign installation. Once he gets inside the I-24 OGFC project (MM 178 to MM171), the contractor will coordinate with Talley Construction related to the direction of the installation (EB or WB).

HAMILTON COUNTY TDOT Contractor on SR-317 (BONNY OAKS DR.) westbound from LM 1.734 to LM 4.545: On Thursday and Wednesday of this reporting period, there will be intermitting lane closures on Bonny Oaks from 9 AM-3:30 PM. There will be flaggers directing traffic at several spots in this area.

HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-2 (BROAD ST.) northbound from LM 6.13 to LM 3.12: Shoulder and single lane closure between W. 35th Street and W. 33rd Street. Arrow boards, signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 6 PM from 09/10/20 through 09/23/20.

HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-2 (BROAD ST.) southbound at LM 6.98: Shoulder and single lane closure between W. 24th Street and W. 27th Street. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM through 09/18/20.

HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-319 (HIXSON PK.) northbound at LM 14.73: Shoulder and single lane closure between Heron Cove Lane and Freedom Bay Drive. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM through 09/25/20.

HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-319 (HIXSON PK.) northbound at LM 7.98: Shoulder and single lane closure between Brookaire Road and Destiny Drive. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM through 09/25/20.

HAMILTON COUNTY Utility Work on SR-320 (E. BRAINERD RD.) westbound from LM 3.29 to LM 5.77: Lane closure between Bel-Air Road and Greens Road with flaggers, signage, barrels and/or cones. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. This is a nighttime lane closure between 7 PM to 5 AM starting 09/14/20 through 09/18/20.

HAMILTON COUNTY SR-29 (US-27) Repair of the bridge over Big Soddy Creek (LM 20.6): During this report period the contractor will have traffic restricted with one lane of SR-29 southbound closed over Big Soddy Creek. Additionally, one lane of SR-111 southbound will be closed as it approaches the SR-29 junction.[Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU046]

HAMILTON COUNTY SR-2 (US-64, US-11) Improvement of the intersection at Edgmon Road in Collegedale (LM 22.7), including grading, drainage and paving: During this report period, the contractor will be performing grading, drainage and paving. Extra care should be taken while trucks and heavy equipment are entering and exiting the roadway. The roadway may be temporarily restricted to a one lane roadway by flagging operation.[Talley Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU012]

HAMILTON COUNTY SR-317 (Apison Pike) Improvement project from SR-321 (Ooltewah-Ringgold Road) to east of Layton Lane: Lane closures and flagging operations will be required on SR-317, Apison Pike, to install power poles and transfer lines. The flagging operations will be performed on 09/10/20, 09/11/20, 09/14/20, 09/15/20, and 09/16/20 from 7 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM. Closures will last about 2 hours per location. There will also be very short lane closures for blasting that will last five minutes or less. The contractor will have intermittent flagging operations during daytime non-peak hours for utility work, delivery of materials and equipment.[Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNT336]

MCMINN COUNTY SR-39 Resurfacing from Maple Street (LM 15.2) to east of County Road 469 (LM 19.7): During this reporting period, the contractor will have intermittent lane closures Monday through Friday between the hours of 7 AM and 5:30 PM for the installation of permanent pavement markings. Motorists are advised to use caution in the work zone and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control.[Rogers Group, Inc./Wagner/CNU211]

MCMINN AND POLK COUNTY SR-163 Resurfacing from west of CR-750 (Piney Grove Road) (LM 9.0) in McMinn County to US-411 (SR-30) (LM 1.0) in Polk County: During this reporting period the contractor will have intermittent lane closures on SR-163 Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7 AM and 5:30 PM for the installation of rumble stripe, permanent pavement markings, and snowplowable pavement markers. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph in the work zone. Motorists are advised to use caution and watch for flaggers assisting with traffic control.[Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Wagner/CNU137]

MEIGS COUNTY SR-58 Resurfacing from north of Ten Mile Road (LM 31.3) to the Roane County line (LM 35.1): During this period, the contractor will have one lane closed while performing resurfacing operations. One lane will always remain open. Additional flaggers will be on-site to assist with traffic control as needed.[Rogers Group, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU163]

MEIGS COUNTY SR-58 Repair of bridge over Hiwassee River (LM 5.22): During this report period, the contractor will have the roadway reduced to one lane controlled by temporary traffic signals. Additional flaggers will be on site as needed.[Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNT103]

POLK COUNTY Utility Work on SR-33 (HWY. 411) in both directions from LM 9.9 to LM 14: Mobile lane closures from the SR-40 junction to Ocoee River Bridge as crews transition work zone. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present between 9 AM to 3 PM with an estimated completion of 09/30/20.

POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) Bridge over the Ocoee River: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working on the westbound shoulder of US-64 (SR-40) to construct a new haul road. The westbound shoulder of US-64 (SR-40) will be closed for the duration of this work. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for trucks entering/leaving the highway.[Charles Blalock and Sons, Inc./Wagner/DB1802]

POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) Emergency slope stabilization near LM 20.5: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working to stabilize a slope near LM 20.5 on SR-40 (US-64). The eastbound truck climbing lane is closed at this location and will remain closed for the duration of construction. Motorists are advised to reduce speed to 35 mph in the work zone due to a lane shift and to watch for trucks entering/leaving the highway.[Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Wagner/CNU909]

POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) Repair of bridges over North Potato Creek (LM 26.93): During this reporting period, the contractor will be working on painting the steel beams on the eastbound bridge and installing a new concrete railing on the westbound bridge. Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction on US-64 for the duration of this work. Motorists are advised to use caution and reduce speed in the work zone due to decreased lane widths. RESTRICTIONS: 12 ft. maximum width LM 26.93 Westbound 14 ft. maximum width LM 26.93 Eastbound.[Jones Bros. Contractors, LLC/Wagner/CNT062]

POLK COUNTY Boanerges Church Road construction of a bridge over Old Fort Creek: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working to install concrete walls for portions of the new bridge and construct new bridge approaches. This work will occur weather permitting. Boanerges Church Road is closed to all traffic for the duration of construction. Detour signs are posted diverting traffic around the closure onto SR-313 and US-411.[Summers-Taylor, Inc./Wagner/CNT279]

RHEA COUNTY SR-302 Resurfacing from SR-30 (LM 0.0) to SR-68 (LM 8.9): During this period, the contractor will have one lane closed while performing resurfacing operations. One lane will always remain open. Additional flaggers will be on-site to assist with traffic control as needed.[Rogers Group, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU215]

RHEA COUNTY Utility Work on SR-68 (WATTS BAR HWY.) in both directions from LM 15.16 to LM 15.10: Shoulder and single lane closure between Peakland Road and Watts Bar Drive. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM from 09/14/20 through 09/18/20.

RHEA COUNTY The grading, drainage, construction of bridges, paving and signals on a S.I.A. route serving Nokian Tyres: The portion of US-27 in front of the Nokian Tyres SIA entry will continue to experience a traffic shift with no shoulders. There will be the movement of construction vehicles in and out of the site as construction and material deliveries continue. The travelling public should be alert.[Dement Construction Company, LLC/Micka/CNU014]

Read the original post:
Weekly Road Construction Report - The Chattanoogan

Three years ago, the 130-year-old Sweetest Heart of Mary Catholic Church on Detroits east side was forced to repair or remove its two steeples or the city would condemn the building.

The cost to fix the problem would have left the parish devastated.

The 130-year-old Sweetest Heart of Mary Catholic Church faced an unfortunate fate three years ago when its two steeples started falling apart.

To restore the spires, it would have cost $2.5 million. The estimate to remove them: $765,000.

If the church didnt have enough money to do either, it could have been condemned by the city.

We saved part of Detroits skyline.

Larry Wilk has a deep connection with the church. His 92-year-old mother still attends mass and volunteers.

I was baptized here," he said. "My daughter was married here. We have a long standing relationship with the parish. My grandparents were part of this parish.

So, when he heard the news three years ago, he asked Father Greg Tokarski if he could help.

I dont claim to be a steeple repair expert by any means.

Larry has a construction background and volunteered to be the project manager. After negotiating contracts, he was able to get a team together to make the repairs at $500,000.

It wasnt an easy task.

The spires were in awful condition and the team found bullet holes in them. At some point, they had to shut down the streets and bring in cranes to get the work done properly.

It was a monumental task. We had many challenges. My contractor suffered a heart attack in the middle of the project.

Thankfully, he bounced back and now they have completed the project using new materials and copper.

Father Greg wanted to do something special for Larry, so the church is dedicating the steeples to his late daughter.

We will have these spires, hopefully, for another century or more.

The church is continuing to collect donations for other repairs to be done. You can donate at: https://www.motherofdivinemercy.org/

Go here to see the original:
Historic Detroit church completes three years' worth of repairs with help from community - WXYZ

Construction resumed last month on the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11. As we reported last spring, the faithful have spent nearly 20 years struggling to rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church into a national shrine at Ground Zero. At times opposed by the powerful, sabotaged by human frailty, the project is rising again, thanks to those who never lost faith in the resurrection of St. Nicholas.

In 1922, a tavern found religion. During prohibition, Greek immigrants consecrated a Lower Manhattan bar with a cross.

Bill Tarazonas: The first time I walked in, and alright, I saw that little place in there, beautiful little place, I felt something.

Bill Tarazonas was the last caretaker of St. Nicholas.

Bill Tarazonas: It was my pride and joy.

Scott Pelley: You called the place Uncle Nick?

Bill Tarazonas: That's the first thing when I walked in, say, "Hi, Uncle Nick. How are you?" That was my thing.

"Uncle Nick" was traditional. The tomb of Jesus was carried through streets on Easter. On the epiphany, the cross was raised from the river, symbolizing the baptism of Jesus. His face was humble but inside there was soul. Rich images of Jesus, Mary and the saints, known as iconography. Developers coveted the land but the lone church stood its ground.

Regina Katopodis: They were set that no one was gonna take their church. My father spoke for all. There was not to be any compromise.

Regina Katopodis' father, Jimmy Maniatis, was president of the church and frustrated developers for 34 years.

Regina Katopodis: He said, 'They offered me 15 million dollars and I said no.' There was absolutely no hesitation about it.

Scott Pelley: There was even a time that the Archdiocese itself wanted to sell the church. How could he turn down the Archdiocese?

Regina Katopodis: My father was a man of principle. And a church is a body of people. All he had to do was say no.

For eight decades, St. Nicholas remained defiant at 155 Cedar Street, an address that would mark its place in history.

Bill Tarazonas: Before we knew it, hell broke loose.

Bill Tarazonas was there on 9/11.

Bill Tarazonas: The building just went like this. What's goin' on here? and then I walk outside. That was the worst thing in my life.

A landing gear wheel bounded into the parking lot. Tarazonas opened his van to find human remains across his seat.

He fled on foot just before tower two collapsed.

Scott Pelley: That's when you knew that St. Nicholas was gone.

Bill Tarazonas: Yep I lost part of me. I lost a part of me.

The days that followed yielded only fragments.

Greek Archbishop Demetrios comforted rescue workers.

Archbishop Demetrios: A group of workers came and they said, "We would like to ask you to pray for us." I say, "Why?" They said "Here, as we work, we know that we deal also with remnants of human bodies. Please pray for us."

Among the dead was 31-year-old John Katsimatides, a bond broker in one of the towers, who had discovered St. Nicholas on a lunch hour. His sister, Anthoula Katsimatides, told us his remains were never found.

Anthoula Katsimatides: I don't have a gravesite to visit. and it's incredibly difficult, because we never buried anything or, you know, said goodbye.

Scott Pelley: What was it about the church that was so special to your brother?

Anthoula Katsimatides: With all these buildings and concrete, I think that he felt, I know that he probably felt at peace lighting a candle and just saying a prayer for whatever was going on.

Those buildings and concrete became the 9/11 memorial and plans were drawn for a small domed church, the St. Nicholas National Shrine.

But, as the congregation prayed at the site each year, there were delays and a budget that quadrupled to $85 million. Construction began in 2015. The dome rose a year later. But in 2017, the money, from private donations, ran out. Construction stopped.

Only faith kept St. Nicholas alive, as we discovered 5,000 miles away.

On the Greek coast, Mount Athos is a hermit peninsula of 20 ancient orthodox monasteries. Behind the walls of the Xenophontos Monastery, work on St. Nicholas never wavered.

Father Jeremiah: Xenophontos is one of the oldest monasteries on Mount Athos. The first historical witness we have is from the year 998.

Father Jeremiah hails from a town named for a saint, San Angelo, Texas

Father Jeremiah: This was where God wanted me, and here I am.

Scott Pelley: You've been here how long?

Father Jeremiah: Twenty-two years.

The Xenophontos Monastery is a fortress against time.

Father Jeremiah: About 50 monks live at this monastery. There's traditional tasks or what we call obediences in the monastery. The monks who work in the refectory. The monks who work in the garden. The monks who work among the olive trees, among others we have, of course, the iconographers who are very, very cultivated and have really mastered their art form.

Master iconographer Father Lukas is painting the iconography for the new St. Nicholas in the old craft of egg tempera.

Father Lukas: God has called me to do this work. to communicate the spirit of Mount Athos to the people.

Father Lukas granted us an early look at 56 icons for the project. He painted St. Nicholas, by tradition, as the patron of seafarers, lifting a man from a violent sea. But what's troubling these waters is 9/11.

Father Lukas: I personally want this church, through the iconography to open up a new horizon for people, That they come away with hope. If this happens, the icons will have fulfilled their purpose.

Near Father Lukas' studio we met the designer of the church at ground zero, Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava. He'd been to Mount Athos twice before, for inspiration.

Scott Pelley: You know I wonder, what does an architect see when we walk through this courtyard?

Santiago Calatrava: I believe you see, that you do not need to be an architect, or know a lot about the history of architecture, to, to feel architecture. It's like music or something like that. You just have to open your heart.

For St. Nicholas, in Manhattan, his inspiration came from the Hagia Sophia, the former orthodox church in Istanbul. Inside, Calatrava sketched an icon of Mary and he thought since she carried Christ her body was a church.

Santiago Calatrava: So there, herself becomes a kind of temple, isn't it? Containing something that, according to the Orthodox faith, you know, is almost uncontainable, you know? Which is the idea of God.

The vestments of the new St. Nicholas will be white marble, crowned with a translucent dome. At night, it will be a beacon.

Santiago Calatrava: Light. Very important.

Scott Pelley: Why is the light very important?

Santiago Calatrava: You know, light, in my eyes, is to architecture what sound is to music.

Light, candlelight, illuminated the Easter celebration on our visit to Mount Athos in 2018. Abbot Alexios led the procession and, at midnight, quoted the angel in the book of Mark, "He is risen, he is not here."

In the sanctuary, chandeliers were propelled into orbits to symbolize the joint celebration on Earth and in heaven, recalling the psalm, "Praise him sun and moon, praise him all you stars of lights."

But in Manhattan, there has been little sound or light since construction stopped in 2017. An investigation into finances revealed that millions meant for St. Nicholas were spent on other expenses of the archdiocese.

Scott Pelley: About three-and-a-half million dollars was used elsewhere by the archdiocese. Is that correct?

Archbishop Demetrios: It was a transferring of money from the St. Nicholas to another kind of account. Afterwards we heard about that, I ask, "Why you did that?" I said, "You should not have touched the St. Nicholas money at all for no matter what. It was a mistake, has been corrected.

The money was returned. Last year, Archbishop Demetrios resigned. A new archbishop and New York state named an independent board to raise the last $45 million and manage construction. Fresh hope for Anthoula Katsimatides who lost her brother.

Anthoula Katsimatides: I know that once St. Nicholas opens, my mom and I will visit and say a prayer for John there. a place of love and hope for all family members and for all people from around the world who are gonna come and visit and pay their respects to everyone that died that day.

Last summer, Father Lukas left his refuge on Mount Athos for Manhattan to take the measure of God's empty gallery. He told us the walls anticipating his paintings represent the most important work of his life. The feeling is familiar to Regina Katopodis whose father had refused to sell the old church.

Regina Katopodis: I'm in it for my dad and for everybody else that has gone and perished and hoping to, with their last breath, that they would be able to see St. Nicholas rebuilt.

Scott Pelley: 100 years from now, what will that little church on the plaza say to the world?

Regina Katopodis: That the good of mankind can conquer evil no matter what.

It was the orthodox church that made the cross the symbol of Christianity. But, during construction, it was discovered the dome of St. Nicholas, alone, had reached the maximum height allowed by a higher power, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey which controls the site. In another act of salvation, officials decided a few more feet of heaven could be spared. If all goes well, and it rarely has, St. Nicholas will be born again, next year, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. A monument to death and life and unremitting faith.

Produced by Ashley Velie and Dina Zingaro. Broadcast associates, Ian Flickinger and Annabelle Hanflig. Edited by Warren Lustig.

Read the rest here:
Nearly 20 years after being destroyed on 9/11, a New York City church is being resurrected - 60 Minutes - CBS News

SALT LAKE CITY Its something no other hub airport in the U.S. has pulled off in the current century.

After a span of six years of construction preceded by about two decades of planning the Salt Lake City International Airport is about to open its brand-new, $4.1 billion airport on Tuesday, starting with a massive new terminal and its first concourse.

By the end of the year, a second concourse will open, and the old airport will begin to be razed to make way for the east side of Concourse A to be built right over the top of it.

What this means for Utahns and travelers across the globe isnt just a brand-new, shiny building to replace a more inefficient and aging facility. To airport officials here and nationally, its so much more.

I would dream to see in my career other cities across the country replicate what Salt Lake City has done, said Kevin Burke, president and CEO of Airports Council International-North America, a national organization based in Washington, D.C., that represents U.S. and Canadian airports.

Salt Lake City has taken an airport and turned it into a modern, 21st century facility, Burke said. Americas airports need to be modernized, and Salt Lake City has been on the cutting-edge of that.

To Burke and Utah government officials Salt Lake Citys new airport means the portal from Utah to the rest of the world just got much bigger and with so much more room to grow. It means the state has solidified its foothold in the global air travel industry and therefore positioned itself well for future economic growth as a now much more appealing travel touch point, destination, and home base for businesses.

To state leaders, thats a huge step for their ambitions to brand Utah as not just the Crossroads of the West, but the Crossroads of the World.

But as masterfully designed, impressive and beautiful as Salt Lake Citys new airport is, an invisible force has sucked some of the air out of its grand opening.

The global coronavirus pandemic has led nationwide flights to plummet, threatening the entire airline industry. After a year of averaging about 2.4 million passengers a day nationwide, that dropped to a low of 87,534 passengers nationwide during the height of COVID-19 closures on April 14, according to Transportation Security Administration checkpoint travel numbers.

In February, Salt Lake City International Airport saw a record high of 30,000 passengers each weekend. But when the pandemic hit home in Utah and the rest of the U.S., that number death spiraled to barely 1,500.

Over the past several months, more travelers have begun trickling back to airplanes. On Aug. 31, nationwide air travel was up to 711,178 passengers, according to the TSA. But thats still less than a third of the demand U.S. airports were seeing this time last year.

To Bill Wyatt, executive director of the Salt Lake City International Airport, the COVID-19 pandemic is worse than either of the two other major disruptions to the commercial aviation industry that hes lived through as an airport director.

Worse than 9/11. Worse than the Great Recession.

The pandemic has brought on not just economic hardship thats similar to what airlines and travelers experienced during the Great Recession, but also the fear and uncertainty of air travel that followed Sept. 11, 2001 but on a much more long-term basis, Wyatt said.

The thing about the pandemic is its global its affecting everybody all at the same time. And its invisible. You dont see the virus, but its everywhere around us, and so that has really affected the confidence of the traveling public, Wyatt said.

But still, as he has lived through other downturns, Wyatt said he feels pretty bullish about our future.

This isnt going to last forever, he said. I dont have any doubt the industry will survive, because I think its just too important to the U.S. and the world, really, to have commercial aviation. So I think probably the biggest question is, Whats it going to look like?

Airlines and airports have been forced to confront a new reality: one that requires them to take extraordinary measures like drastically reducing aircraft maximum capacity so there is enough space between seats to give travelers reassurance that their flights are safe. And most airlines have now begun requiring face coverings, making masks the new normal in airports across the country.

To Burke, Salt Lake Citys new airport opening comes at a perfect time when space and cleanliness are more important than ever.

Your timing was impeccable, he said.

In a strange way, Salt Lake Citys new airport is ushering a new era of air travel, when the importance of personal space, cleanliness and hygiene will likely outlive the COVID-19 crisis. So there have been a number of happy coincidences and silver linings that have surfaced as the COVID-19 pandemic aligned with Salt Lake Citys new airport opening.

For travelers traveling to, from and through Salt Lake Citys new airport, space will not be an issue in the massive new terminal and concourses. Everything is spacious from the bathrooms, to the seating areas, to the unique Greeting Room designed especially for large family greeting parties that are common in Utah, especially for families welcoming home loved ones returning from missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Theres also been logistical and budgetary silver linings. The dramatic drop in passenger numbers allowed Salt Lake airport officials to bump up the next phase of the airports construction by two years now on track to save about $300 million.

Instead of having to operate both the new and old airport as previously planned, the lower demand will allow all operations to move into the new facility by the end of October and pave the way for demolition of the old airport to begin sooner.

But looking beyond the pandemic, Burke said Salt Lake Citys grand airport opening has positioned Utahs capital well into the future for air travel meaning the state will reap economic benefits in the form of business and tourism growth for decades to come while other airports will struggle to keep up.

The reality is, air travel will come back, Burke said. People will begin to travel. A vaccine will be found. ... The good news for Salt Lake City: You now have an airport that can handle it all. It might not be full now, but it will be full soon.

Wyatt predicts the new airport, which is Deltas fourth-largest hub, will help usher in nonstop flights to Asia.

Thats something I can imagine in our future, Wyatt said. The natural assets of Utah will attract more tourism, and the burgeoning tech community here will definitely drive more traffic as well. But if we dont have a new facility thats efficient, we just cant handle it all.

Wyatt also predicted that airlines will likely scrap smaller, older aircraft to consolidate their maintenance costs.

When the green light comes on again, the industry is going to be a lot smarter, and its going to get a lot smaller, Wyatt said. So Delta and big carriers are getting rid of their older aircraft, older planes that arent as efficient. Its a good opportunity to reduce their fleet size.

That could mean plane tickets are going to get more expensive as airlines must establish a new pricing structure when theyre expected to keep middle seats open to maintain passenger confidence in safety and cleanliness, Wyatt said.

If the industry is smaller and demand rebuilds quickly, there will be more passengers than seats, and its entirely possible it could be more expensive, he said, though he added hes confident that when a vaccine is established airlines will likely go back to flying relatively full planes.

Burke said any city with a brand-new airport has a competitive advantage. Businesses want to know that you can get your people and cargo in and out safely and efficiently, so a new airport is an asset to your company no matter what industry youre in, he said.

Still today, airports across the country struggle to provide comfortable, efficient and modern spaces for passengers to enjoy rather than just endure in their travels, Burke said. He called Salt Lake Citys new airport a window into what airports should look like.

Having a brand-spanking-new airport in Salt Lake City is a great example of what a community can do to work together to create an airport of the future, Burke said.

The reality is in the airport system in this country, the average terminal is about 40 years old. And that was all pre-9/11, he said, noting that passenger traffic and expectations surrounding air travel have soared since then.

Up until now, Denvers International Airport that opened in 1995 has been the U.S.s newest large hub airport built from scratch. Other airports like the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport which opened its newest terminal in 2008 have a similar linear layout to Salt Lake Citys new airport, with underground tunnels connecting parallel concourses (through Detroit has something Salt Lake City doesnt: an indoor train). Airport officials consider the long, straight concourse design a gold standard for efficiently moving planes to and from gates while avoiding wait times and bottlenecks.

The new airport was designed by the global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm HOK, which has been behind multiple state-of-the-art projects, including New York Citys LaGuardia Airports new Terminal B.

Moments before the curtain was about to drop during an opening ceremony for Salt Lake Citys new airport last month, Wyatt admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic which he called the single-biggest financial hit to the commercial aviation industry in history gave him feelings of concern and doubts of whether the new airport would finish on time.

It would really come down to Delta, Salt Lake Citys largest stakeholder in the project, which calls Salt Lake City home to its fourth-largest hub.

After consulting with Delta, the answer from Atlanta was, Put your foot on the gas pedal, Wyatt said.

Scott Santoro, vice president of sales for Deltas West Coast, said the new airport solidifies Delta as the airline for passengers to, from or through Salt Lake City for business and leisure travelers for many, many years to come.

Its been very easy for us to look at this and slow it down due to the pandemic, but although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our day-to-day business, it has not impacted our commitments to you, commitments to the community that we serve, Santoro said during a recent opening ceremony for the airport. Regardless of the level of service that we provide, the promises that we made to you and those we partner with we kept.

Santoro said the pandemic has allowed us to reprioritize our efforts and ... throttle forward and accelerate projects like this one.

About 19,000 Delta employees took early retirement packages in July to help Delta through this crisis, he said.

In written responses to the Deseret News for this story, Santoro said Delta has remained a dedicated and strategic partner to Salt Lake City for the past 60 years, and intends to continue that relationship for another 60 years. He said Salt Lake Citys new airport marks the first strategic milestone within our $12 billion investment to modernize our nations aviation infrastructure.

The SLC airport has and continues to be a valued hub for our network, enabling our customers to reach their travel destination with ease and comfort, Santoro said. This new SLC airport affords customers a more convenient travel experience, intertwined with luxury and innovation. We are so proud to have been a strong, strategic partner to the SLC airport and look forward to only strengthening our relationship with them, the city of Salt Lake, and the people of Utah for years to come.

While the pandemic has brought about challenges, Santoro said, Delta continues to deliver on strategies that streamline our business and operations.

In a way, COVID-19 has allowed the airline to take a breath and look the future, he said.

This period of time has allowed for us not to pause, but pull the future forward in a way we may have not been able to do so in the past, he said, calling the new airport one such example, and we were able to deliver this project both on budget and on time. As a significant hub location for our network, this new SLC airport holds tremendous value for our network at large and has and will continue to give Delta a competitive advantage in the region.

To Burke, Delta doubled down on its commitment to Salt Lake City as an investment in the future positioning itself to rebound swifter with a major hub that will be appealing to travelers as the economy bounces back.

Burke and Wyatt said Salt Lake City also has an advantage of being home to a hub airport since hub airports have been better off financially amid the crisis than smaller airports throughout the country.

Delta carries about 60% of Salt Lake Citys total airport traffic.

Wyatt acknowledged Salt Lake City has put a lot of our eggs in one basket with Delta, but he said if he were to choose any partner, it would be that airline.

I would much rather be in our position than almost anyone else, Wyatt said. If youre going to identify a carrier ... I think theyre the strongest at the moment. Theyre incredibly well managed. They made a really big commitment here, which I think is very important, but theyre also just a great hub carrier.

Maureen Riley, who was executive director of the Salt Lake City International Airport before she retired in 2017, is given much of the credit for the foresight and financial planning that enabled Utahs capital to make the new airport possible. Wyatt credited her, his predecessor, with squirreling away a big bundle of cash so the airport could start the project in a financially strong position.

I dont think very many people get to experience what Ive experienced to see a dream come true, said Riley, who anticipated when she began saving money for the project in 2008 that she likely would retire before its completion. But she got to attend last months opening ceremony, where she was repeatedly credited for making it possible.

It was a very big dream, she said, crediting so many other people involved, their teamwork, and untold hours of planning bring it to fruition.

In 2014, when construction began, the Salt Lake airport was the only hub airport in the U.S. without debt. Now, Salt Lake City does have a fair amount of debt to help pay for it, but 19% was paid for with cash. Of the $4.1 billion price tag, over 60% is paid for using bonds, 5% is paid for with rental car fees, 4.5% is paid for by the Transportation Security Administration, which will provide funding for the baggage system, and 7.2% is paid for by fees collected from passenger airline tickets, according to airport officials.

Federal COVID-19 relief, through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, provided the Salt Lake City International Airport with a years worth of debt service payments, Wyatt said, which helps bring financial stability for the project. By the time phase two, which includes Concourse B, opens in 2024, Wyatt said hes pretty confident that the COVID-19 situation is going to be well resolved by that time.

So I would say were in a pretty enviable position, he said. Were opening the new facility just as this business gets to take off again, literally and figuratively.

Riley said when the pandemic hit and she pondered its impact on the project, she recalled that airport officials had built in a couple of discrete stopping points in case of an economic downtown, including one that could have been this fall with the opening of the first concourse.

I thought, Well, if they need to stop, they can stop, she said. But word of Deltas commitment was very encouraging.

All of us want to believe there will be a vaccine and we will get through this, and it may take longer than we know, she said. But this is a project of the future.

Here is the original post:
How Salt Lakes new airport is ushering in the future of air travel - Deseret News

Dutchtown is one of the archetypal neighborhoods in St. Louis. It seems like everyone has heard of it, many people have roots in it, and few who do not or did not grow up within its boundaries truly understand it. It's one of the largest and most densely populated neighborhoods in St. Louis, and its past and future arecritical to the overall health of the Southside. Even people who do not live in Dutchtown should care about what happens in this neighborhooddue to its location right in the middle of the city.

The neighborhood's boundaries are a little hazy, depending on who you ask. The official City of St. Louis considers Dutchtownmuch smaller than anyone who grew up there recognizes and carves off a chunk for the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. The iconic You are in Dutchtown signs, which youll find around the Southside east of Grand Boulevard, generally place the boundaries as Chippewa dog-legging up Compton to Utah on the north, the Mississippi River on the east, Walsh and Eichelberger on the South, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks on the west (which went out of business in 1982). DutchtownStL.org, however, considers the modern city neighborhoods of Gravois Park, Marine Villa, Mount Pleasant, and Dutchtown to all be part of the Greater Dutchtown area.

What I love about the neighborhood is the amazing diversity laid down on what is basically a rigid and standardized street grid; there are only a couple of major streets that break the repetitive rectangular blocks that march south ignoring the gentle rolling hills in what was once the St. Louis Common Fields. And here and there are larger blocks that point back to earlier institutions that once anchored the neighborhood.

The largest break in the street grid is the former home of what was originally Maryville Academy, which sits at the corner of Meramec and Nebraska. The post office, built on one corner of the grounds, retains the name and memory of the former occupant. Founded in 1872 by the Society of the Sacred Heart, an advertisement in The Missouri Republican on August 21, 1872, announced its new location in what was then out in the country (Compton and Drys 1876 Pictorial St. Louis barely fit the northern part of Dutchtown into its publication). A 10-month session was $250, which was a good sum of money at the time, and applicants were to apply with the Mother Superior. Languages, including French, music, and painting were all part of the curriculum.

To the west are the spires of St. Antony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, which still anchors the corner of Meramec and South Compton Avenue. Restored after a fire, the church is also linked to a Franciscan monastery on site. As is common in St. Louis, there was originally another church on the site, but what is interesting in this instance was its architect being a Franciscan brother, Adrian Wewer. When the current church was built, another Franciscan brother, Anselm Wolff, provided the design in German and Italian Romanesque Revival style. But as Ive often mentioned about St. Louis architecture, there is a certain flair and breaking of the rules in Brother Wolffs church: The nave is far too wide, bright and airy, and the windows are too large to have been a Medieval church. We can tell that modern technology, such as steel or iron trusses, have cured some of the original defects of the Romanesque style. It is a beautiful church, and its presence, spotted through the trees and houses of the Southside is an inspiring sight.

Heading down Virginia Avenue, once known as Stringtown Road and one of the few streets to break the grid, the back of Cleveland High School appears. The large parcels of land on the west side of Virginia Avenue allowed for the building of large Italianate villas, such as the Villa Padua, demolished for Cleveland. A photograph of the Barnard Residence below, at the corner of Virginia and Meramec, gives an idea of the opulence of these country homes. Cleveland High School was one of William B. Ittners masterpieces, wedding the beauty of English Tudor schools with modern American technology when it opened in 1915. It sits empty, and was the victim of several fires.

Those landmarks are certainly part of Dutchtown, but the houses where everyday people live, for me, are what make the neighborhood special. The majority of the building stock dates from around the first decades of the 20th century, but there are some interesting exceptions. Here and there, you can spot an old Greek Revival country house, with its center hall floorplan. These are incredibly rare houses, and it is all the more amazing that they have survived. They can be spotted due to their front porches resembling a Greek temple front and symmetrical design.

But some of my favorite houses are the one-story houses, with their elaborate cast iron cornices. I learned from an older Dutchtown resident that he helped his father make these during the winter, and then builders would pick up and install them in the spring as bricklaying and construction started up again in warmer temperatures. These one-story houses are deceptively large; theyre economical, and they have a strong sense of architectural finesse to them, even for relatively inexpensive houses. There are thousands and thousands of these houses in Dutchtown and the rest of South St. Louis, and instead of being boring, the imagination and creativity of the bricklayers gave the faades of each house individuality in the red, tan, or buff brick.

Finally, I spotted these two-family apartments one day. I was struck at just how much thought and work had been put into the design and construction of what are rental properties. This brought me back to my original thought about diversity in Dutchtown: There are mansions sitting right next to apartments buildings, large houses right next to small houses. The beauty of Dutchtown is not just in its rich history, but in how its built environment encourages a strong sense of community across social classesif we are willing to see it.

Chris Naffziger works as the archives researcher in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of the City of St. Louis. His email is naffzigerc@stlouis-mo.gov.

More:
'You Are in Dutchtown': The many architectural styles of the Southside - St. Louis Magazine

An aerial view of the construction site

Initial construction of the Cathedral was supposed to commence in April this year after the laying of a foundation stone on March 5 this year.

However, a visit by the Daily Graphic in July to the 14.5-acre land next to the Parliament House established that the construction of the Cathedral had been halted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Secretary to the Board of Trustees for the National Cathedral, Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng, in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM, said the construction came to a standstill due to some complications.

Related Articles

Work stalls on National Cathedral

PHOTOS: President Akufo-Addo lays foundation for National Cathedral

Ghana ingests Israeli stone as National Cathedral construction begins

Supreme Court dismisses injunction application to halt construction of National Cathedral

He explained, It had to be delayed because there were few complications with regards to the people who were going to be working on the project.

According to Rev Kusi Boateng, most of the workers were outside the country, and because of the closure of borders, work on the Cathedral had to stop.

If not for the COVID, it would have been middle of this year but because of the COVID, its been rescheduled to October now that the borders are open, he said.

Rev Kusi Boateng also noted that the selection of a contractor for the project had almost concluded.

By the grace of God, the contractor for the project has almost been approved and so by the first or second week of October, construction will start, he said.

He also expressed optimism that the project would be completedonschedule.

Weve made a lot of adjustmentsif all goes on then instead of four years, by the grace of God, in three years we will be near completion of the project.

National Cathedral

The National Cathedral of Ghana is an inter-denominational Christian church that is being built as part of the legacy to commemorate the countrys 60th anniversary.

It was proposed by the government in March 2017 and is expected to be a physical embodiment of national unity, harmony and spirituality.

The design for the cathedral was unveiled by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in March 2018. He said at the time that the construction of the cathedral was in fulfilment of a promise he made to God in the run-up to the general election in 2016.

The cathedral will have a 5,000-seater capacity with chapels, a baptistery, a music school, an art gallery and a Bible museum. The site will also house a music school, an art gallery and a museum dedicated to the Bible.

Construction work is expected to be completed within the next five years and is estimated to cost over $100 million.

A board of trustees to supervise its construction was inaugurated in March 2017 and is chaired by a former Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Most Rev. Samuel Asante Antwi, with the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, as Vice-Chairperson, and the Founder and General Overseer of Power Chapel Worldwide, Prophet Kusi Boateng, as Secretary.

It has a heavy representation of the heads of many churches, both orthodox and charismatic.

See the original post:
Work on National Cathedral to resume in October - Graphic Online

Staff Report

LAKE TWP. Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 2952 Edison St. NW, recently broke ground on a long-awaited education wing of the parish.

Members of the parish planning committee were joined by representatives of Braun & Steidl, architects and Fred Olivieri Construction in celebrating the groundbreaking.

Through the generous support of the parish community, the fund-raising goal was overmatched.

Several unique challenges were met and overcome, many due to the need to meld the new addition with the original wood structure (current administrative offices) and the existing church and social hall.

The new structure will include four meeting/classrooms and a 20-foot extension of the existing social hall. It will bring the total number of meeting/classrooms to six.

Construction is expected to be complete in the spring.

The parish, which began in 1977 as a mission affiliated with St. Paul in North Canton, rapidly grew into a stand-alone parish in 1979, occupying a renovated youth club building.

The current church building was dedicated in 1986.

Holy Spirit serves the Uniontown-Hartville community.

More:
Lake Twp.'s Holy Spirit parish to add education wing - The-review

By John H. Wright Jr., MAI, and Martin H. Aaron, MAI, SRA

The role that religion plays in the midst of this pandemic is a philosophical matter.

However, the role that religious facilities play is a decidedly practical matter particularly for church mortgage lenders.

Before the pandemic, 36% of Americans attended religious services weekly, and 69% attended at least a few times a year, according to the Pew Research Center. The coronavirus brought attendance to a halt in many states, and some religious facilities adapted by providing online or drive-by services.

Unlike online shopping and curbside pickup for retail, virtual and drive-by religious services havent become a widely accepted new normal (although many larger churches have had success with online services). Even though people are eager to attend worship services for strength and spiritual guidance during this time of uncertainty, there are some concerns that the pause will drive long-term negative attendance and giving trends and affect the use and valuation of religious facilities.

Over the years, religious facilities have expanded to provide childcare, education, elder care, recreation, and community services such as job fairs and food pantries. This, in turn, has affected the ratio of seating to total building area. With social distancing, religious facilities can seat only a fraction of their capacity. Like their public counterparts, religious schools may not fully reopen for some time. These changes could have material value implications.

Space restrictions, along with elevated risk of infection for elders and the potential for church services to become super-spreader events, prevent many people from attending religious services.

At the same time, community support services that religious facilities provide are in high demand in the midst of the pandemic. Food,daycare, and job and housing insecurity have become grim concerns for many Americans, and religious facilities can come to their aid to the extent that social distancing requirements allow. In some communities, religious facilities even serve as COVID-19 testing sites because of their large parking lots and recognizable locations.

However, religious facilities survive on tithing, donations, foundations and other sources of cash flow that have been curtailed by the economic downturn. Some religious facilities with mortgages have missed payments since the pandemic, or they are debt insecure.

Every market is different, though, with unique advantages and challenges. There has been a surge in religious facility appraisals as lenders grapple to reassess the value of buildings that arent being fully used in the intended way. While some congregations are looking to sell their facilities, lenders are trying to determine if COVID-19-induced trends constitute a short-term interruption or long-term disruption to religious facility use, and resulting in possible changes in the highest and best use of the facility. This process is critical in the accurate estimation of COVID-19s impact on the current market value of the facility.

Looking to the future, some congregations with stable finances might be considering construction plans or additions as they reconcile how to best serve their communities during the pandemic and beyond. An accurate estimate of the market value of the real estate forms the foundation for sound decision making in this unprecedented time.

John H. Wright Jr., MAI, and Martin H. Aaron, MAI, SRA, are Senior Managing Director and Managing Director, respectively, at BBG, a national due diligence commercial real estate firm. They are also authors of The Appraisal of Religious Facilities, the recognized industry standard for valuation of religious facilities, schools and nonprofits.

See the original post:
COVID-19 impact: short-term interruption or long-term disruption? - Church Executive Magazine

Construction is underway on a 94-unit senior-housing project in Northland, the third such project for a community that has a high concentration of vulnerable seniors, according to data from Ohio State University's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.

National Church Residences, based in Upper Arlington, is building the $16 million Northland Gate at 5771 Maple Canyon Drive.

Columbus City Council member Emmanuel V. Remy, who spent six years as president of Northland Community Council, said he remembers the project in its infancy.

"We know the senior population will grow exponentially by 2030," he said. "We also know those residents in Northland and throughout the city would like to age in place. Having the ability to stay in their neighborhood in affordable housing means everything to the seniors out there."

Currently, Franklin County has the second-highest number of people ages 65 and older in the state, according to the 2014 Kirwan Institute study, which said this senior population is projected to grow by more than 53% by 2030, a rate five times more than the anticipated overall population growth of Franklin County.

Remy and others took part in a groundbreaking ceremony Aug. 25 for the 3-story, 85,000-square-foot building, which will offer one- and two-bedroom residences.

Rents will range from $400 to $1,000, depending on income levels. The development will provide free Wi-Fi, a fitness center and outdoor walking paths.

Construction will take a little more than a year, said Amy Rosenthal, vice president of affordable development for National Church Residences.

"The community members know best, and they're coming to us saying they have a need," she said. "The data were there, too. Northland was lacking affordable senior housing. It had never received a low-income housing-tax-credit award for seniors. It felt like the time was right."

National Church Residences received $1.2 million in tax credits in 2019 from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, which essentially gave the company the approval to proceed with the project.

The company already has a strong presence in the community: It manages Restoration Plaza I, II and III and owns Northland Community Center for Senior Health North and other properties in the neighborhood, Rosenthal said.

In addition to Northland Gate, National Church Residences is building two other senior-housing developments that should be completed in the next two years, according to information from the company.

Salem Village at Dublin-Granville and Karl roads will have 76 one-bedroom apartments, and Bretton Woods at 4836 Cleveland Ave. will have 62 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

National Church Residences and its financial partners have invested nearly $50 million in the Northland area, according to the company.

"The numbers of our aging population are astounding, so it's important we have partners like National Church Residences," Remy said.

editorial@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekNews

Read this article:
National Church Residences breaks ground for Northland senior-housing project - ThisWeek Community News