Six Construction Projects Underway In Diocese of Amarillo

Amarillo—When historians look back at 2015 in the Diocese of Amarillo, the year will be remembered fondly as the Year of Construction.
Six building projects are currently underway, with the sixth project beginning last week, according to Deacon Phil Whitson, Chief Operating Officer for the Diocese of Amarillo.
Here is an update on each project:
 
New Diocesan Pastoral Center
4512 Northeast 24th Street
Amarillo
Ground broken: March 7
According to Dan Koetting, Project Manager for Plains Builders, Inc., the weather made the most headlines for the new Diocesan Pastoral Center building project.
 
“Because of how flat the site location is, all of the weather events, rain, ice or snow created a delay for this project,” he said. “However, we are working diligently to get most of the site grades high enough to allow work to continue even in inclement weather.
 
“We should have all foundation and grade beam concrete in place by next week. The underground electrical and plumbing are being installed immediately after this. We anticipate pouring the first section of building slab, the Meeting Hall and some of the Religious Office Wing at the end of next week. Hopefully, before the end of the year we will pour the remainder of the Religious Office Wing and hopefully all of the Business Office Wing. Steel Erection will begin the first week of 2016. Work will proceed in stages, continuing with the Bishop’s office and on to the diocesan Museum. Depending on how the winter weather affects us, this project should be completed in eight to nine months.”
 
New Parish Hall
Blessed Sacrament Church
4112 Southeast 25th Street
Amarillo
Ground broken: May 30
Koetting said the new Parish Hall for Blessed Sacrament Church is approximately one-third complete.
 
“We will be in the dry, meaning having the building closed in, within the next two weeks,” he said. “At this point, the weather should not affect us. We are framing interior walls, roughing in electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire sprinkler systems.
“Barring any unforeseen issues, we anticipate having Substantial Completion the first week of March.”
 
New Parish Hall
Our Lady of Vietnam Church
2000 North Grand
Amarillo
Ground broken: Dec. 23, 2014
Constuction is 70% complete on the new Parish Hall for Our Lady of Vietnam Church, according to Thomas Hoang of Thomas Construction, contractor.
 
“We’re working on classroom areas and the kitchen at this time,” he said. “We’re hoping to have the building finished by May.”
 
The new 12,000 square foot, two-story building will include five classrooms and three offices for the parish, according to Hoang.
 
New Parish Hall
St. Mary’s Church
810 South McLelland Street
Clarendon
Ground broken: July 9
Construction on the new Parish Hall for St. Mary’s Church is expected to be complete by the end of January or first part of February, according to Stephen Ceballos, employed with Claudell Wright Construction in Clarendon.
 
“We are preparing the outside of the building and the roof of the building with sheet metal,” he said.
 
At presstime, Ceballos was anticipating having windows and doors for the new Parish Hall installed, with the building enclosed.
 
“We hope to be framing inside by the first of the year,” he said.
 
The new Parish Hall will be a 6,750 square foot structure, which will house Faith Formation classrooms, offices, a library, kitchen and seating for up to 208 for meals, according to parish spokesperson Denise Bertrand.
 
The new parish hall is the first new structure for the 123-year-old parish since its former school building was built in 1899.
 
New Church Building
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
1501 Center Drive
Cactus
Ground broken: Sept. 13
Dirt work for the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Church continues despite weather delays. Concrete is expected to be poured sometime after the first of the year.
 
According to Julia Gonzalez, a member of the construction committee, the call for volunteers to help with the building has been fruitful, with many parishioners coming forward when volunteers are needed and others have stepped forward and asked what could be done to help out.
 
Parishioners are also working on scheduling additional fundraisers to raise funds for the new building.
The new 5,700 square foot building will include a new sanctuary with permanent seating for 313, as well as office space, restrooms and a classroom. The new church is being constructed to the east/northeast of the current church building.
 
New Parish Hall
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
411 Ware Street
Groom
The sixth construction project in the Diocese of Amarillo is the newest. Asbestos abatement began Dec. 14 on the former parish hall at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Groom.
“Asbestos abatement should be completed before Christmas,” said Greg Huseman, president and CEO of Huseman Builders, Inc., construction manager and constructor for the new parish hall. “We should begin demolition of the building just after the first of the year and have that complete by the end of January, weather permitting. Dirt work should begin shortly after that, sometime in the first of February.”