STM Capital Campaign:
Building the City of God –
Here and Now
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CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
December 7, 2021
The church addition and undercroft renovation is underway! We hope these projects will be completed in summer of 2022. Upon completion, the addition will provide accessibility to all levels of the church and parish center. The undercroft will be renovated and will include new bathrooms and a catering kitchen creating a wonderful space for social gatherings, faith formation, and Ignatian programming. In addition, the church and undercroft will be air-conditioned making for a comfortable environment year-round.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN DETAILS
Three years ago, our parish began the Building the City of God – Here and Now Capital Campaign to achieve three very exciting and meaningful projects: making the church fully accessible, remodeling the church undercroft, and replacing our parish school’s windows.
We are now three years in to a five-year campaign and to date, our community has pledged or donated over $7 million, and Saint Thomas More has collected almost $5.5 million of that total! Please review the list below to see what we have achieved and our progress on the entire vision.
Completed
Projects
School
windows – By replacing our original windows, we greatly enhanced the school building’s appearance, comfort and energy efficiency.
Total project
cost: $1.1 million.
School electrical –
Replacing the original electrical at our school included new circuit breakers and a control panel. Total project cost: $88,000. Total project cost: $88,000.
School lighting – All classroom lighting was replaced with new LED lighting, improving the brightness and look of our classrooms, while significantly reducing energy costs. Total project cost: $200,000.
School Accessibility – The previous elevator was decades old and often malfunctioned. A new elevator was installed to ensure accessibility for all who enter our school. Total project cost: $140,000.
Ongoing
Projects
Church Accessibility & Bathrooms – Accessibility improvements to our church and parish center are central to the design of a new entrance and gathering space. This new structure will connect both buildings, provide accessibility to all levels and include much needed bathrooms.
Church
Undercroft – This project will enhance the existing beauty of our undercroft by upgrading lighting, flooring and fixtures. Plans also include new serving and meeting areas, as well as a catering kitchen for funeral luncheons and other activities. When completed, the project will provide a fully functioning space for meetings, gatherings, and programs, immediately adjacent to new bathrooms and elevator. With the new addition, this space will be accessible to all.
Total project cost for church accessibility
and undercroft: $4.2
million.
Assistance to our Sister Parish – We have established a twinning relationship with our sister Jesuit parish - St. Francis Xavier (SFX) - in NE India. STM parishioners have made two visits to SFX including one last year that included Fr. Warren, Steve Thomas (then Parish Council Chair), Barb Koenig (third grade teacher at STM grade school), and Mary Fratto. SFX is building a new church, and we would like to help them with that effort by providing a gift of $10,000 from our capital campaign. SFX is in a poor, tribal area of NE India near Bangladesh. Their current church building has a dirt floor.
Thank You
Thank you to those who have supported these projects financially and through your gifts of time! As we keep momentum going on our capital projects in the coming year, please remember that gifts made in support of the capital campaign are tax deductible. Thank you for your financial support, help and prayers for this campaign! Together, we are making a major impact for generations of parishioners and students.
CAPITAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE
Campaign
Co-Chairs: Bill Griffith & Tiernee Murphy
Committee: Carol Arend, Paul Humbert, Dan Kelly, Pat Lofton, Eric Morin, Mike Sarafolean, Gary Sauer, Fr. Warren Sazama, S.J. & Paul Zenner
Campaign
Consultants: Michael & Whitney Davy -
Mark Davy & Associates
1. Why are we
doing a capital campaign extension?
Over two years ago, Saint Thomas More launched our Building the City of God – Here and Now Capital Campaign. The campaign’s purpose is to fund a remodeling of our undercroft, make Saint Thomas More’s campus fully accessible, as well as replace the school building’s exterior windows and electrical facilities. Through this effort, our parish successfully raised $4.1 million. As our three-year campaign concludes at the end of 2021, an additional $2 million is needed to complete all projects that were initially proposed. Parish leadership considered securing a loan for the remaining amount, but believe it is more prudent to conduct a campaign extension, which will result in borrowing less money.
2. What projects have been completed through the initial effort?
School windows – By replacing our original school windows, we greatly enhanced the school building’s appearance, comfort and energy efficiency.
School electrical – Replacing the original electrical at our school included new circuit breakers and control panels.
School lighting – All classroom lighting was replaced with new LED lighting, improving the brightness and look of our classrooms, while significantly reducing energy costs.
School Accessibility – Our school elevator was decades old and often malfunctioned. We refurbished the elevator to ensure accessibility for all who enter our school.
3. How much money is left from our campaign’s first three years and what projects will be completed through the extension?
After paying for school building projects, as well as architectural, construction preparation and campaign expenses, Saint Thomas More has approximately $2.2 million left for the church and undercroft. Raising an additional $2 million through a campaign extension will enable us to complete our entire vision.
Church Accessibility and Bathrooms – Accessibility improvements to our church and parish center are central to the design of a new entrance and gathering space. This new structure will connect both buildings, provide accessibility to all levels of the church and parish center and include much needed bathrooms.
Church Undercroft – This project will enhance the existing beauty of our undercroft by upgrading lighting, flooring and fixtures. Plans also include new food serving and meeting areas, as well as a catering kitchen for funeral luncheons and other activities. When completed, the project will provide a fully functioning space for meetings, gatherings, and programs, immediately adjacent to new bathrooms and elevator. With the new addition, this space will be accessible to all.
Assistance to our Sister Parish – We have established a twinning relationship with our sister Jesuit parish - St. Francis Xavier (SFX) - in NE India. STM parishioners have made two visits to SFX including one last year that included Fr. Warren, Steve Thomas (then Parish Council Chair), Barb Koenig (third grade teacher at STM grade school), and Mary Fratto. SFX is building a new church, and we would like to help them with that effort by providing a gift of $10,000 from our capital campaign. SFX is in a poor, tribal area of NE India near Bangladesh. Their current church building has a dirt floor.
4. When will construction begin on the remaining projects and how long will it last?
A successful campaign extension will enable us to begin construction in Summer of this year (2021). Using funding already in place and campaign extension pledges, we plan to secure a construction loan for the remaining projects and complete them as soon as possible. It is our plan to then make payments on that loan as pledges are paid. As use of our building has decreased, due to the pandemic, it is an ideal time for construction. Our plan is to have a grand opening celebration of the addition and undercroft in Summer of 2022.
5. Why has the total cost of projects increased from $4.5 million to $6 million?
Additional school projects were added to our vision at the request of a major donor who funded much of those projects.
The church project scope has changed after determining there was a better design for Saint Thomas More’s future. We will remove the garage and construct a new entrance with gathering space that connects our church and parish center. The addition will include a five-stop elevator for accessibility to every floor in the church and parish center.
There has been upward pressure on construction pricing in the past two years, since we began our campaign.
6. Why were the school projects completed first?
A major donor funded much of the school projects, which enabled us to get started immediately. Additionally, the school projects (electrical, lighting and elevator rehab) could be done quickly, while our church plans will take longer to complete.
7. Will we use any money from the West Campus (formerly Immaculate Heart of Mary) sale for these projects?
Saint Thomas More does plan to use this fund for capital campaign improvements and parish leadership recently approved the transfer of $250,000 from this fund to the capital campaign. The remaining funding acquired from the sale of Immaculate Heart of Mary property is designated to maintain our facilities.
8. When will parishioners be asked to give and how long is the extension?
Parishioners will be receiving a commitment packet in the mail in March of this year. We encourage households to prayerfully consider a two-year pledge extension. Although the extension officially begins in December 2021, we ask parishioners to begin payments on their pledge as soon as possible. This will help decrease the amount Saint Thomas More is required to borrow.
9. How much will parishioners be asked to give?
For those who gave to the initial effort: We are extending the campaign two years and asking parishioners to use their first commitment and consider a minimum gift of two/thirds that amount, payable over a two-year period. Example: A household that gave $3,000 to the capital campaign is now being asked for a minimum extension commitment of $2,000, spread over two years.
For those who did not give to the initial effort: If you did not participate in the capital campaign, we ask that you consider a two-year pledge and give to the best of your ability. All gifts are appreciated and kept confidential.