Last Friday, Fr. Chuck opened the Hensel Phelps celebration of the "topping off" of Parish East. The construction crew prayed with Fr. Chuck in blessing over a barbecue lunch in the interior space. A video (below) captured the blessing. Workers also received an update on the status of the project by the HP project managers.
As a special thank you, each of the crew members received a card crafted by our St. Austin Catholic School students. Not only were they works of art, but the students also used technology to translate their personalized messages into Spanish. We've featured a few below for you to enjoy.
The Blessing
December 20, 2022
Parish East: CMU [Concrete Masonry Unit or cinderblock] work continues on the 6th floor to create the mechanical room, the chiller room, and finally, the restrooms. Structural steel work is beginning on the 6th floor. Sheathing work began on the North and East facades with work completed up to level 4 by this Thursday. The Level 1 electrical room is nearly completed. Plumbing and electrical in wall work is now beginning on Level 1. On Level 2, ductwork is in progress while the restroom plumbing is nearly done. On Level 3 MEP [Mechanical Electrical Plumbing] hangers are in place in anticipation of overhead work beginning soon. Interior framing on Level 3 has also started. Exterior steel work is also underway on the 5th floor as is the room partition. The photos detail much of this work. Moisture/mold resistant wall boards are being installed in key areas of Levels 1-3 to facilitate continuation of key work required to meet our completion schedule.
Parish West/Tower: Shoring on Level 1 of Parish West has been pulled for the most part creating greater visibility into the gym space.
Safety: The deep cold forecast later this week will force site closure on Friday and Saturday - work cannot resume until temperatures are above freezing.
Pray With Us ~
God our Father, Creator and Ruler of the universe, in every age you call us to use and develop our gifts for the good of others. With St. Joseph as our guide, help us to do the work you have asked and come to the rewards you have promised. Please grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Parish East: Masons are done on level 3 play area. Work now is on level 6 on the wall between the mechanical room and the basketball court. Exterior sheathing work will start today on the south side nearest the church lobby, then work up the stair tower. Supplemental steel contractor on site to help expedite the sheathing work. Material hoist is being added today to expedite work on the interiors. Topping slabs are being placed over the elevators and mechanical rooms and should allow the elevator contractor to begin work in mid-January. The topping slab on the basketball court is scheduled to be placed just before Christmas. Sheathing is expected to be completed by December 30 except for locations being served by the materials hoist. Window installation will begin next week, with installation of flashings. Main shaft work being finished up within the next couple of weeks. Temporary stairs are in place for the east stairwell due to issue with the permanent stairs which are in design rework. This has held up some interior framing work, but there is a plan to start framing up the walls around the permanent stairs to keep progress moving. The worksite is now being described as an ant hill with "ants" moving around like crazy. Progress from here on is expected to occur very quickly. Level 2 framing work has started. Level 3 interior framing will start after exterior framing work is correct.
Parish West/Tower: Level 7 pour 1 was completed last week, with pour 2 to be completed this week, with pour 3 scheduled for December 23. This will complete the “podium” of the student tower. Masons are wrapping up CMU work in the AE vault area. Reshores expected to be pulled on the 5th floor (rectory area) when they are finished pouring the 9th floor (mid-January timeframe). CMU work in locker room is expected to start at the end of the year.
Utilities: As work wraps up on 21st between San Antonio and Guadalupe, the work will likely shift to work on San Antonio at 21st which will trigger the Traffic Control Plan for San Antonio (i.e. a different lane on San Antonio will close) and 21st street to Guadalupe will likely re-open.
Pray for Smooth & Timely Steel Deliveries
December 6, 2022
Parish East: Level 6 re-shores were stripped out today. Very little concrete work will remain after the topping slabs are placed. Level 3 blocking is finishing up. Temporary roof drains are being set on the level 5 terrace. Shafts will have temporary seals placed. Main topping slab (basketball court surface) is on schedule for placement by the end of month. Sheathing around the south wing will start this week, likely on level 2, as we're still waiting on steel to do the sheathing work on level 1. On the interiors - framing work is mostly done on levels 1 and 2. Work on level 3 will begin next week. MEP (Mechnical, Electrical, Plumbing) is 80% done on level 1. Elevator shaft framing is contingent on steel delivery, which also impacts the playground enclosure. We'll need to have that steel delivered, before the Parish East crane can come down. Current plans call for the Parish East crane to come down in mid-January. Temporary dry-in is set for the end of January. This is a temporary solution to close in windows/sheathing until the full dry-in is complete which is scheduled to be done by end of February.
Parish West/Tower: Later this week, they'll work on level 7placement. Level 7 is scheduled for completion by end of December, the last level to complete “the podium”. First placement of level 8 is currently set for late December. The exterior elevation work on Parish West should begin in mid-December.
Mock-up: The Porcelanosa was installed on the mock-up.
Pool Bottom Framing
November 29, 2022
Parish East: United forming has finished the perimeter wall on the 6th floor and is working on topping slab work for the mechanical room and stair 2 area. We are about 1 week away from waterproofing and main topping slab work. Level 3 play structure blocking work is almost complete. Main exterior skin work is being held up by delivery of lintel steel. Exterior walls on level 3 are currently being framed with level 4 framing to start by end of week. MEP work is almost complete on level 1 and will now shift to level 2. Getting level 1 steel in particular would allow those walls to be closed in which will help reduce water (rain) intrusion. About 60% of main priority walls on level 2 have been framed. Form work is being removed from level 5.
Parish West/Tower: Level 6, pour 3 was placed last Wednesday. Column and decking framing for level 7 is ongoing. Level 7, pour 1 is scheduled for Friday and will be the pool bottom and transfer beams. See picture for pool bottom framing, with nice view of city skyline. Corridor mock-up is highlighting a couple of issues. CMU work continues throughout the garage. The block mason will begin work in the gym and locker room area by the end of this week.
Utilities: Sanitary waste line across Guadalupe: They’ve run into an issue (AT&T Duct bank is at a different elevation than shown on the as built drawings) which is delaying work to find an appropriate solution, which may allow work to finish on Guadalupe this week. If they cannot do work on Guadalupe this week, they will shift crews to work back on 21st next week, which will result in closure of 21st. Doors and hardware for the AE vault are expected on site Thursday. Once that is done, the AE Vault can be inspected by Austin Energy.
This Week We Offer Words
November 22, 2022
Parish East: The “topping out” for Parish East is expected to occur between December 14-16 when the topping slabs for both stairwells are placed. Work continues on the knee walls (CMUs - concrete masonry units) that will surround the 6th floor playground and prepping the basketball area specifically with waterproofing and sound insulation before the topping slab is placed there. Placement of CMUs is also occurring in the level 3 play area (which form the planting beds). Planting beds were added to this outdoor space to reduce occupancy to the maximum permissible with only one exit path. After Thanksgiving, we expect to see some sheathing appear and more work on the exteriors. Across Parish East work continues throughout the building to -
Frame exterior walls
Create mechanical shafts to hide ductwork, electrical, and plumbing conduits
Drywall elevator shafts
Complete both sets of stairs by December 20
Rough-in work on the Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) continues
Parish West/Tower: The girders are being stressed. Level 6.5 was poured last Friday. MEP work has also started on level 1. The Austin Energy vault was inspected this morning.
Mock-up: The Porcelanosa installation was delayed because a saw was stolen from the jobsite. A quality review of the final mock-up will likely occur in mid-December.
Utilities: Austin Energy is waiting on a Right-of-Way permit. They must file their own traffic control plan to begin the electrical work.
Photos Only this Week
November 15, 2022
Leveling Up
November 9, 2022
Parish East: Level 6 is now fully framed and rebar in place. HP has nearly all of the embeds for level 6 concrete and have their pour scheduled for Friday. HP was having issues with their steel supplier, CSI, but steel is now on-site without issues. There will be a lot of work still to be completed at level 6 after the pour is complete and HP is organizing a meeting with their trade partners to discuss the sequence of activities. Level 1 overhead mechanical, electrical plumbing is taking place as well as framing and on level 2 they are starting framing activities as well as overhead plumbing and starting mechanical. HP has also completed dropping in duct from level 5 to level 1.
Parish West/Tower: Fire sprinkler was delivered for Tower side on Monday and this will work will be starting this week (and Parish closely following). Level 6 placement above gymnasium was planned for tomorrow, but because the girder stressing did not finish, the earliest this can take place now is on Monday. The area is fully formed and rebar set in place. Reshoring is also taking place on the towers, bringing shores out of level 1 and moving them to the upper levels of the building.
Mock-up: The Porcelanosa is now on-site. HP stated that they were targeting installing the procelanosa before the end of the week so the mock up is in a “ready for viewing” state by Sunday for the slab sign event. The team is also targeting a 12 p.m. Tuesday November 15 owner and designer review of the mock up. The Parish will be invited to provide some feedback on colors of caulking, grouting, orientation, coursing and other finish elements. There will also be one water test following this once the caulking is fully set and dried.
Pouring & Placing
November 1, 2022
Parish East: Level 5 was poured on October 28, with level 6 scheduled to be poured on November 11. Level 1 Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) work (Austin Energy Vault) is ongoing and should be done by next Friday. Stair work (West Stairs) has commenced as well with the stringers being hung. Framing and steel is mobilizing. Exterior walls on level 2 are starting to be framed. Interior walls on level 1 will begin to be framed next week. Level 2 shoring will be removed next week. Topping slabs will be placed after the level 6 deck is placed. Steel beams for level 1 headers are on site so work can begin on level 1 exteriors soon. Mechanical shaft ductwork will be dropped from level 5 tomorrow, which will complete 50% of the ductwork in a rather expeditious manner. Stair 2 (east stairs) will be delivered and installation started next week. Studs for priority walls were delivered yesterday and work on those walls on level 1 will start tomorrow as well. Our new Austin Energy vault is scheduled for inspection on November 24.
Parish West/Tower: Level 6, pour 1 was today, with pour 2 scheduled for Thursday. Pour 3 will happen around November 15 but may happen by end of next week. Re-shores have been removed from the paseo, which opens up that space tremendously so it can be used for staging. Austin Energy vault slab will also be placed by the end of next week. Some garage level 1 exterior materials were delivered and installation will begin shortly. Steel for the headers to support the storefront for the Student Mailroom will be delivered tomorrow and will be ready for install.
Mock-up: Some windows will be delivered and installed tomorrow. A residential tower window is still awaiting a delivery date. Porcelanosa has been delivered to the US Port but will require several days to transport to site. Expect it to arrive early next week. CMU work in the gym locker room will start by the third week of November. Plumber is starting rough-in in garage area for drainage and fire protection work will begin within the week.
Utilities: Storm tie-in for the Tower in has been finished in the alley. Austin Energy contractor is almost complete with their electricity prep work to ready the site for Austin Energy to de-energize service to the duct bank so that all electric lines can be run through the newly-installed duct bank. Water line tie-ins have not yet been completed pending Austin Water approving the shutoff plan and process.
Stay Tuned for Big Changes soon!
October 25, 2022
Parish East: The 5th floor slab is due to be placed Friday, October 28, with the final (6th floor) slab placement by November 11. The elevator enclosure will be topped out by November 18 and the Play structure support columns will be installed by November 15. The steel beam header on the south storefront wall of the parish hall is due to be installed this Thursday, with framing of exterior walls to commence around November 1 on the first floor. The first 2 floors of the west stairs will be installed by October 31. These west stairs are shown on the semi-truck in one of this week’s photos. The east set of stairs for the first two floors will be installed by November 7. Interior MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) rough-in continues on the first floor into November. Some corridor framing on level 1 may be in place by the time of our slab signing on November 13. CMUs (concrete masonry unit) will be installed this week to form out the Austin Energy Vault (NW corner of Parish East building).
Parish West/Tower: Transfer girders spanning the gym volume were placed on October 25. The deck 5 placement over the gym is scheduled for October 27, with all of level 6 decking complete by mid-November. The westernmost stairs serving our Parish West space should be installed by November 11, as well. The locker room walls comprised of CMUs will be installed by December 12. The first deck placement for level 7 (first student housing deck – which also contains their pool and dog park) is slated for December 1.
Mock-up: Windows and Porcelanosa should be placed by November 3.
Utilities: We are still awaiting Austin Energy approved drawings for permanent power, however remedial drawings have been done and remediation work will start tomorrow in the alley. Almost all alley water work is now done. Workers are doing water tie-ins today and will be working on storm tie-ins later this week.
Columns & Plumbing are Underway
October 18, 2022
Parish East: Level 4 deck was placed on October 13, level 5 deck is scheduled to be placed on October 28, with level 6 scheduled for November 10. Columns for the rooftop play structure will be placed by November 15. Pipes for plumbing are already being placed on level 1, and some re-shoring remains to be pulled from level 1. We're awaiting steel header delivery to begin exterior work. Other interior work on level 1 will begin as the shoring work comes out.
Parish West/Tower: Level 6, deck 1 work begins with placement of rebar starting soon, with the slab scheduled to be poured on October 27. Level 3 girders over the gym are in process. Girders 1 and 2 will be placed Thursday, October 20, with the final girder to be placed next Tuesday when the slab on that level is complete. We experienced a delay because of a confusing construction detail related to how the girders tie into the columns. Masons are working on interior CMU walls in the tower on level 1, which is the student housing mailroom.
Mock-up: Windows are due to be installed on November 7. Porcelanosa should be installed by November 9.
Utility Work: The new 16” water line from Guadalupe to San Antonio is installed and awaiting City inspection before tie-in can be completed. 21st street will likely re-open to two-way traffic sometime around the first of December. San Antonio traffic will be reduced to one lane in a week or two as the water work shifts into the intersection. It appears that Austin Energy work could begin this week.
Frames & Walls are Forming
October 11, 2022
Parish East: Deck 4 is due to be placed Thursday, October 13, with Deck 5 scheduled for placement on October 28. Level 6 deck will be placed on November 15. Work on framing the exterior closure wall for the parish lobby has begun. All shoring is now out of the Parish lobby space and waiting for exterior steel to begin framing the headers over the glass storefronts on the west façade of the parish hall. Expect scaffolding to be erected by the end of this month. Stairs should appear in the third week of October. MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) rough in work will also begin on the ground floor very soon.
Parish West/Tower: Level 6 pour 1 decking is being placed (see photo). Level 5 pour 2 was done yesterday. Girder work ongoing in the gym area. All 3 girders will be placed late next week. Framing of girder 1 is mostly done (see photo). They are stripping re-shores on level 4. CMU (concrete masonry units) were delivered yesterday and work placing those on the ground floor will begin shortly to form the Austin Energy vault.
Utilities: Austin Energy Alley duct bank work did not commence as hoped. Water lines C, D and F are now completed (Guadalupe west to the alley). Water line work now jumps to just east of San Antonio working up to the alley (see last photo with diagram). The actual tie-over from the old water lines to the new water lines is approximately 10 days out.
Slabs & Beams
October 4, 2022
Parish East: The level 4 slab is due to be poured October 12, with the level 5 slab on schedule for October 27with the level 6set for mid-November (top-out is November 11). Exterior work will begin October 10 on the west wall of the parish hall with placement of steel support beams that will hang over the glass store fronts that open onto the courtyard. Similar work will proceed around the rest of the 1st floor. Framing of level 1 exterior walls will occur at the very end of October. Both stairs servicing levels 1 and 2 will be placed by the end of October. It is expected that all shoring will be removed from level 1 shortly.
Parish West/Tower: Level 5, placement 1 was placed last Friday. Pouring of placement 2 should be Monday. They are finishing the structures for the bottom of the girders that will span the gym. All transfer girders will be placed by October 25. Level 6 will be placed by the end of October. They are removing the shoring on the lower levels of the parking areas. Stairs for parish west will also be placed by the end of October.
Mock-up: All metal panels are in place. Still awaiting Porcelanosa and windows (which are due to arrive tomorrow).
Utilities: Early work by Austin Energy on the alley duct bank is supposed to start tomorrow. Work is expected to take approximately 3-4 weeks. The new 16” water main is being installed next to the existing water main, which will be removed once the City has shut off the water. All temporary poles that were being used to support the AT&T lines were removed. This will facilitate concrete placements in Parish East next week. Installation of water service lines to the Hillel Center is 90% complete. It is anticipated that 21st will remain closed at least through the end of October but could take until mid-November. Delay is tied to Austin Water finishing work on their end to isolate a bad shutoff valve so that water can be moved from the existing water main to the new water main.
Working Inside & Out
September 27, 2022
Parish East: The level 3 deck should be placed tomorrow at 2 a.m., with level 4 scheduled for October 10, and level 5 scheduled for October 25. As soon as level 3 deck is stressed, it allows the shoring to be removed on level 1, which allows some exterior work to begin. Initial interior work will focus on finalizing the Austin Energy vault and all mechanical shafts. By the third week of October, some interior walls will begin to be framed. Parish façade (exterior skin) work will also begin next week in the Parish Hall area, with the installation of headers for the west and south walls.
Parish West/Tower: Level 5, placement 1 on schedule for pouring this Friday. Shear wall on this level also expected to be placed Friday. In the gym area, they are working on forming the transfer girders that will span the gym.
Mock-up: Metal panels have started being placed. Windows should be placed by October 19.
Utilities: Austin Energy will work on the alley duct bank shortly. Work is finishing up on the temporary water line to the Hillel Center. Work will also begin on installation of the storm line in the alley. AT&T is scheduled to pull their overhead lines, but they have missed previous scheduled dates.
What it Looks like
Decks Are Rising
September 20, 2022
Parish East: Level 3 decking is being installed. We're receiving delivery of rebar for the beams. Deck for level 3 will be poured September 28, next Wednesday. Level 4 should be placed on October 11. Work to enclose the lobby wall and ceiling has begun and the Tyvek over the roof is being removed. This progress should reduce noise levels creeping into the church from construction. The banners inviting Austin to watch us grow are up along the east fences that form the barricade at the intersection of 21st and Guadalupe Streets.
Parish West/Tower: Level 4 pour 1, was placed last week as pour 2 is in progress now. The first shear wall on level 4 should be poured tomorrow, as the work of shoring shifts to level 5. Transfer girders (over the gym) should be placed second week of October. Placement of the shear wall on the gym side is expected next week. Additionally, Fire Distribution temporary service is being installed into the lower levels.
Mock-up: Metal panels will be going up shortly, as should the windows (end of September), with the Porcelanosa installed by end of October.
Utility work: There was a small delay to progress on 21st Street. The subcontractor didn't secure a permit for night work, but that's been corrected. The work also involves installing the temporary service to the Hillel Center.
Progress on the Inside & Outside
September 13, 2022
Parish East:Level 2, Deck 2 was poured. Level 3 deck should be poured on September 23, with level 4 following on October 6, level 5 following on October 21 and the roof deck scheduled for November 7. There are no other changes to dates reported last week with respect to interior framing, stair placement, and exterior façade work.
Parish West/Tower: Work will begin soon on work to install the large transfer beams that will support the ceiling of the gym. The track on level 3 (over the gym) has been poured.
Mock-up: Most exterior finishes are due for arrival and install soon. The exception is the Porcelanosa which has been delayed. Hensel Phelps is trying to expedite delivery of the mock-up material.
Utility work: By the end of this week, most of the fire lines and water lines will be stubbed out to the mains.
What It Looks Like
Steady As We Go
We're Upward Bound
September 6, 2022
Parish East: The Level 2, deck 2 pour is scheduled for September 16, with the Level 3 deck scheduled for September 27, Level 4 scheduled for October 10, Level 5 for October 24, and the roof scheduled for November 8. Interior framing work on Level 1 begins in mid-October, with stair placement still scheduled for November. Exterior work begins in early October with the east and west elevations of the Parish Hall space.
Parish West/Tower: Level 3, deck 2 placed yesterday. Parish portion of parish west decks will be completed by November 7. Exterior walls on parish west north elevation (the 21st Street side) will begin in early December. Concrete blocks (CMUs) will begin to be placed in the parking garage in mid-October.
Mock-up: Brick being installed now, with the EIFS panels following shortly after, along with metal panels. Windows are scheduled to be installed September 19.
August Drone Footage
What It Looks Like
View from the Northeast
View from the Northwest
View from the Southeast
Tower Looking North Along San Antonio St.
Views of Parish East
What's New to the East, to the West, and in the Middle
& Then a Note on Traffic
August 30, 2022
Parish East: At the northwest corner, slab on grade 3 should be poured on September 2. Level 2, slab 1 has been poured and waiting for placement of slab 2 scheduled for September 9, which can't occur until slab on grade 3 is poured. While our "top out" is expected on November 1, we'll need good weather to pour concrete. The north part of exterior work will start by end of September. Interior framing work on level 1 should begin in mid-October. In November stair placement will begin.
Parish West/Tower:Level 3, our music rooms and elevated track are currently being framed out. The level 3 deck is expected to be poured on September 6. Final placement of level 3 slabs is set for September 7, with level 4 slabs complete by September 19. At that point work will shift to placing the large transfer beams over the gym space.
Mock-up:Brick installation begins today, to be followed by EIFS panels, then metal panels, then the Porcelanosa. By the end of September, the Mock Up will look complete.
Utilities:Utility work is ramping up for both 21st Street and the alley. A day crew will be working on 21st, with a night crew doing work in the alley. Work includes placing new storm lines, water lines, and fire mains. The alley duct bank (electrical) work is also proceeding.
A Traffic Note: Thank you for your patience along the way! At this writing 21st Street is closed between San Antonio and Guadalupe for the utility work described in Item 4 above. Over the coming weeks we can expect other disruptions and changes in the traffic patterns around us. The safest and surest course for you to go between our Ministry Center/Parking Garage and our Church is to walk along W. MLK to Guadalupe. Every day brings us closer to the end of our pilgrimage and the completion of our bold building for the future. Again, we thank you.
Be strong and take heart...
Psalm 31:25
What It Looks Like
Rebar - Pray for A Smooth Supply Chain
August 23, 2022
Parish East: Last week was disappointing for slab placements due to delays in rebar delivery. Slab on Grade 2 will be poured on August 24, with Slab on Grade 3 scheduled to be poured on August 30. Deck 1 on Level 2 will be placed on August 24 with deck 2 to be placed on September 9. The level 3 deck is expected to be placed on September 20, with level 4 following on October 3, level 5 on October 17, and the top deck (level 6) on November 1! After that, we'll see exterior work begin with scaffolding appearing in mid-October and brick and stone exteriors installed by early November. Interior rough-in work should also begin in early October.
Parish West/Tower: There were also delays last week on Parish West/Tower deck placements due to both rebar and weather. All Parish West decks (levels 1-6) will be placed by October 31.
Mock-up: Should generally be complete by the end of September.
The Austin Energy Duct Bank Alley Work (Underground Utilities) has been approved. Permits are in hand and work will begin soon.
What It Looks Like
Parish East Toward Guadalupe
Parish East Toward 21st Street
Parish East Toward the South
Parish West View Toward the West
It's Taking Shape!
August 16, 2022
Mock-up - Installation of the brick and other exterior finishes (EIFS) scheduled for next week.
Parish East - Framing for Level 2, slab 1 (ceiling of parish hall) is in progress. The Level 2 slab should be poured on August 22. Slab on grade 2 pouring scheduled for 8/17 delayed as the rebar wasn't delivered on time. As a result, that slab should be poured on August 19 (3 days late). Slab on grade 3 has also been delayed due to longer time needed for underground work - it should be poured on August 25.
Parish West/Tower - Slab on grade 6 (Gym floor slab) was poured yesterday, August 15! Level 3 slab should be poured on August 19 (a delay of 2 days). This is the area closest to the Otis hotel. Hensel Phelps requested additional labor from the subcontractor to better support the schedule. Framing work across the Paseo progresses.
What It Looks Like
We're Leveling Up!
August 9, 2022
Parish East – Slab on Grade 1 pour was completed on August 8. Easy to now “see” the outline of our new courtyard. Slab on Grade 2 (classrooms and lobby spaces) is scheduled for August 17, with slab on grade 3 (Austin Energy Vault and Fire Pump Room) scheduled for August 19. Still potential that slabs 2 and 3 can be accomplished in one pour. The ceiling of the parish hall/floor of the art space/maker space is scheduled to be poured August 17. The classrooms/kitchen/rest of first floor ceiling/floor of level 2 will be poured on August 31. There has been zero schedule slippage on Parish East in the last 30 days. Hensel Phelps is looking to “pick up” days as soon as the final grade level slabs are poured.
Tower/Parish West – Level 2 decks 1 and 2 now placed. Level 3 deck scheduled for August 17. Slab in Gym area scheduled to be poured this Friday.
Mock-up – work will begin on exterior envelope no later than August 15.
Alley Utilities – work is starting on water lines with storm lines to follow.
What Does it Look Like?
End of July Flyover Video
Working Our Way Skyward
August 2, 2022
Parish East
In preparation for for slab on grade 1 (Parish Hall), which should be poured next Monday August 8, the vapor barrier was laid and reinforcements placed.
Working toward the pouring of Slab on Grade 2 (classrooms/lobbies) scheduled for August 16, plumbing work nears completion and grade beams are almost complete.
Slab on Grade 3 pour remains set for August 17 - we're very close to completion of all major underground work.
Level 2 Deck 1 (Parish Hall) – Framing will start on August 9, with pour scheduled for August 17. Level 2 Deck 2 (SOG2) pour is expected by August 29.
Level 3 Deck pour scheduled for September 8, with Level 4 scheduled for September 21.
The top (Level 6 Deck) is expected to be poured by mid-October.
Tower/Parish West
Level 2 deck is tentatively scheduled for placement August 3.
The Paseo was poured recently and framing for level 3 structure above the paseo has begun.
The Gym area should be poured August 8.
The Locker Room area prep work is in progress now for slab prep work.
What It Looks Like
Parish East From the Crane
Parish East
Parish East
Parish West
Parish West - From the Crane
Slabs are Looking Good
July 31, 2022
Parish East - Slab on grade beams for slab on grade 1 mostly complete, great progress being made in anticipation of slab pour 1. Slab on grade 2 is on track for August 16. Slab on grade 2 looks good for August 17. Superstructure work is visible - the column forms are easy to see.
Tower/Parish West – Work nears completion on slab pours while work begins on forming the columns for superstructure work. All slab pours are expected to be complete by August 3.
City of Austin Right of Way permit delays are affecting the utility work in the alley.
What It Looks Like
Parish East
Parish West
Parish East
Parish West Near Hotel
Things Are Getting Exciting As Levels Begin Rising!
July 24, 2022
F2 off-site utility work is going to start on Monday, July 25 (beginning in alley). Hensel Phelps will be sending us a schedule of road closures on San Antonio and 21st St. that are needed as a result of this work.
Grade beams will be placed on the south side of Parish East on July 22.
The courtyard sump was placed this week.
Slab on Grade pours are still on schedule for Parish East - slightly ahead of schedule right now):
SOG 1: 8/3 – 8/9
SOG 2: 8/10 – 8/16
SOG 3: 8/18 – 8/23
Start going vertical with structure on 8/10
What It Looks Like
Beating the Heat & New Drone Footage
July 17, 2022
1. The construction work schedule will now start at 6 a.m. to avoid the extreme afternoon temperatures. Hensel Phelp’s safety protocol includes regular meetings on heat safety and reminders to watch out for fellow workers and the signs of heat stress.
2. Parish East: All piers are done (four days ahead of schedule). Pouring the Slab on Grade for the first floor is scheduled for the
South portion - August 3 - 9 Northeast corner - August 10 - 16 Final portion - August 12 - 17
This schedule is about a week longer than planned. However, this is not expected to delay the building topping out, which is currently expected to occur five days ahead of schedule.
Work on the Austin Energy vault is set for July 15 - 29, with work on the main Parish Electrical Room July 21 - 25.
3. Tower/Parish West: Two slab on grades are expected to be poured this week (smaller spaces) with the larger pours expected to start on July 15 and July 21.
Making Good Progress
July 10, 2022
Parish East – The underground plumbing work under the parish hall is being completed. This area is the the first zone of the slab. Once the plumbing is complete, installation of the grade beam will begin. The first slab on grade will be complete by July 27. The second slab will likely be poured around August 1. The elevator pit should be finished by July 20. The third (and final) slab should be finished by end of the first week of August.
Parish East – Work on underground feeds to Austin Energy Vault will begin towards the end of July.
Parish West/Tower – on the north side final grade beams are being placed. There are five different sections of slab on the grade being poured for the Parish West/Tower side. Work there is moving quickly to place all slabs by the end of July.
Work on the mockup awaits delivery of metal panels expected in early August, with windows and Porcelanosa due in mid-September. Installation of these materials is scheduled for the end of September/early October.
What It Looks Like
Aerial View From the NE
Aerial View From the NW
Aerial View From the SW
Parish East
Parish East
Parish East
Parish West
Work from east to west
July 3, 2022
Parish East – Pier work ongoing. Elevator pit construction is ongoing. Slab on grades will be complete by end of August.
Parish West – Grade beams are being worked on the north side as is plumbing work on the north side (locker rooms). Column work is still ongoing and the slab for electrical/generator room was poured on Monday, the 27th.
What does it look like?
We're Up & Out of the Pit
June 26, 2022
Aerial Walkway – Comments are due from the City of Austin by June 29, 2022 on the completeness check.
Parish East – Site fill work was completed last weekend. Rebar arrived for first phase of piers. The drilling rig for pier work is now onsite - we heard that work in progress during morning Masses. Elevator pit piers are the first in order after which work will shift to south end of site to work on piers and grade beams. First slab on grade is now scheduled for week of July 19. Progress on the south wing (Parish Hall, Art/Maker Space, 3rd floor playground) will be quick according to revisions to the construction schedule.
Parish West – Initial slab pour is expected late this week in the Tower Electrical room. MEP (mechanical, electric, plumbing) underground work is mostly complete on Parish West.
Another Eagle Eye View
Filling in the Gaps
June 19, 2022
Expect the aerial walkway permit to be issued sometime between December 2022 and February 2023.
Our second crane is up! Installation of the Parish East crane was completed last weekend.
Completion of the plumbing rough-in was concluded on Parish West next to The Otis.
The piers on the northeast corner of Parish West are being drilled.
Parish East – Despite lines of trucks along San Antonio Street, the soil fill is going slowly and behind schedule. The south side of the site should be complete by Saturday, June 18, which will allow pier drilling to begin on the south side. All piers will be done by July 6.
Parish West – targeting slab on grade 1st pour is scheduled for completion by June 21 with the fifth and final pour complete by July 27.
Parish East – targeting slab on grade pour is scheduled for July 11.
What It Looks Like
On-schedule & Moving on Up!
June 12, 2022
Aerial walkway - a permit is in official review with the City of Austin. The Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is not tied to this walkway needing to be complete to open Parish East.
The grease trap vault was set this week.
The tower crane is on schedule to be erected this weekend at Parish East.
The Retention system is ~90% complete and on-going.
What It Looks Like
There's News on Power & Progress at Parish East
June 5, 2022
Utility work in the alley continues with temporary power coming soon - a step that eliminates need for a generator.
Parish East – We should see the completion of the soil haul-off and - in great progress news - pier drilling should begin east of the alley on June 7.
Parish East – Slabs are on schedule for completion in mid-July.
What It Looks Like
Fill Out, Fill In & More About the Mock-up
May 29, 2022
The City of Austin is in process of reviewing the Aerial Walkway permit. They asked for additional information which was promptly provided.
Parish West – 17 of 73 piers were drilled. MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) rough-in starts Monday, May 30, on southeast corner of Parish West site.
Parish West – Structural fill is coming in for the north side of site along 21st Street.
Parish East – Except for the ramps, soil haul off is complete and the structural fill work will begin.
Parish East – Grease trap slab has been poured, the walls will be poured next week.
Mock-up – The air barrier is now in place and the flashing inspection completed.
What It Looks Like
About The Mock-Up
Your Questions & The Answers
Is the mock-up the odd rectangular structure near the SW corner of church? Yes, just behind our commercial rental properties on Guadalupe Street. Is its purpose to demonstrate the adequacy of windows, brickwork and waterproofing, in the way that these things will be executed in the finished building? Yes, and to provide a bit more detail, it will be used to review installation methods, the quality and performance of materials, ensure the envelope is watertight, and allow us to review the aesthetics.
Parish East
View to the north at 21st and Guadalupe Street
We're Closing Up, Mocking Up & Filling Up!
May 22, 2022
Construction has begun on the Parish East crane. It should be complete this weekend.
Filling of Parish West (bringing it back to ground level) is about 60 - 70% complete. The existing dirt ramp will be removed at end of this week to allow remainder of fill to be placed.
This week piers for the grease trap vault were drilled as slab work for the grease trap begins.
Work to close in the basement wall progresses. When complete, it will greatly reduce noise in the sanctuary.
Work to bring temporary power to Parish East is underway.
Work on the mock-up (behind K-Bop) is in process. First inspections for waterproofing are expected before the windows are in place. The lead time for window and brick delivery is eight weeks. Delivery of other exterior materials are not an issue.
Installation of the alley water line is expected in about three weeks.
Please pray for the safety of all involved in work on this project and in thanksgiving for the creativity and vision that has brought us to this point on our journey and will carry us to its successful completion.
What It Looks Like
Progress & Prayers, Please
May 15, 2022
Sky bridge permit was submitted to the City of Austin for a completeness check.
The switch gear for the Austin Energy vault was released.
Join us in prayer for a resolution and for the success of either Plan A or HP's contingency plan to secure sufficient trucks to haul soil off-site. This activity continues all week and until all soil has been transported.
AT & T continues to pull wire on our site.
More prayers, please as we expect the first delivery of rebar for the piers next week.
Erection of the parish crane remains on schedule for May 21.
What It Looks Like
An Eagle Eye View + More
May 8, 2022
AT&T and Hensel Phelps are coordinating as much as possible now that AT&T is present on-site to pull wire. Pray for the success of that coordination and collaboration.
After inital challenges to schedule trucks, the excavation and haul off of old soil is now under way.
Soil retention work continues on site.
Our second, the Parish, crane should go up on May 21.
Work on the mock-up work continues though final completion may be delayed due to difficulties acquiring some of the exterior materials. Please pray for the supply chain, it's a world-wide problem.
Pier work to begin after the now available trucks haul away all that soil.
What It Looks Like
Come Rain or Shine
May 1, 2022
Haul off of the first 4 ft. of soils is on-going and will continue throughout the week.
Parish East – temporary roofing is complete and it was reported that there were no water leaks during the storms over the last two days.
Austin Energy is on site and has started removing street lights in the alley and around the site.
Mock-up work has started.
Rebar has been ordered for some of the piers that will be installed first.
Elevator Core Waiting, Excavation Work in Progress,
Power On & More!
April 24, 2022
Work on the Parish West elevator cores is on hold waiting for rebar to be finished. Delivery of that material is expected this week.
Parish East excavation and soil retention work will be ongoing this week and next week.
Also at Parish East temporary roofing is being installed on the lobby to prevent any further water intrusion.
Temporary power was installed and approved by the Austin Energy.
Street lights in the alley will be coming down soon.
Excavation haul-off starts next Monday.
Mock-up work is proceeding.
Parish East Crane expected to be erected on weekend of May 7.
What Does It Look Like?
What's Going Up and Down
April 17, 2022
No issues are expected as the aerial walkway permit process is on target for a completeness check submission on April 15.
More water penetrated the men’s restroom in the lobby. Roofing work is set for next week.
Parish West - Slow rebar deliveries have created slight delays in the work on the tower.
Parish East - Soil retention and excavation begin Thursday.
Mock up of foundation is in process.
Parish East crane delivery now pushed to May 7th.
Daily Mass will continue to be held in Antioch until further notice.
What to Expect
As we prepare for our offices to move to 500 W. MLK, watch the bulletin and eNews for updates. We'll keep the phones staffed and lines open but our parish offices will be closed the week of July 26th. We'll reopen for business in our new Ministry Center on August 2. In mid-August, the Paulists will move from the rectory. At the end of that month, we’ll celebrate and bid a fond farewell to some buildings we've known for generations.
Through all those changes and those that will follow, our Church building will remain our quiet center. As it has for decades, it will continue to center our community for this time of our migration and for many years to come. As we experience our pilgrimage of development and growth, we have the blessing of that steady center.
Preparing 500 W. MLK ~
Spaces Taking Shape!
Work is on pace to meet the target completion date of July 9th with interior spaces coming together on bothe floors of the offices and storefronts. Interior walls are up and insulated, carpet is down upstairs.
Our spaces in our new Ministry Center reflect St. Paul's many journeys for inspiration on our pilgrimage of growth. On the ground floor, what was once...
The Subway restaurant space will now be known as Antioch.
The Subway office space is now Philippi.
Cathy's Cleaners is now Galatia.
The real estate office is now Ephesus with three private spaces ~ a room for spiritual direction and two small meeting rooms.
Upstairs is a conference room now known as Corinth.
A reminder - we're not in our space yet and won't be for a few more weeks as work there continues. Come back to this page to check our progress. We've posted a few new photos to the gallery below so you can see how things are progressing.
Please keep the safety of all involved in this work in your prayers! St. Joseph, patron of builders, protect them.
Energy & Water Are on the Way!
April 3, 2022
Rectory demolition will be fully completed by 4/1. This means the tower crane installation for Parish East is now scheduled for 4/30. This delay in the schedule will not affect building turnover date of 6/1/2023 which is still on schedule.
Not unexpectedly, there was some minor damage to the roof and ceilings in the new lobby space, which are being repaired by Hensel Phelps.
Hensel Phelps is actively working on getting the plumber back on site to complete work at the sanctuary to get water back to the level two sinks and bathrooms.
Borings to inform the pier design for Parish East are planned to be completed by the mid next week (will likely be a noisy activity). Given the proximity of this noisy activity, it may be worthwhile to continue to have daily mass at MLK through completion of that work.
Austin Energy's temporary power work for Parish East is nearly complete.
What's It Look Like?
The Papers are Signed!
Fr. Chuck and Berta Smoak, Parish Business Administrator, sending smiles from the bank!
Drone Footage from
Hensel Phelps
Just over 2 minutes in length, this drone-captured footage shows work in progress and the site status on March 10, 2022.
From SkyBridge to Pier Drilling There's Progress All Around
April 10, 2022
We'll submit the sky bridge permit application in next couple of weeks. Approvals could take 6 - 8 months.
Delivery of materials to construct the mock-up are scheduled to begin arriving this week in the parking area behind our Guadalupe store fronts.
Gym floor salvage is adequate and sufficient to allow for re-use on the learning steps. Material will be delivered to subcontractor for continued work.
Rectory demolition should be complete by Friday. The remaining materials will be hauled away soon. Demolition of the Rectory basement is ongoing at this writing.
Parish West activities include pier drilling in northwest corner of site.
Crane erection for Parish East is May 7, a delay on the timeline resulting from Rectory demolition complications.
Excavation to start next Monday, April 11, will be followed immediately by soil retention work.
Parish West fill begins mid-April and continues into early May.
We're Making Strides - Please Keep Praying
March 1, 2022
This Week ~ Lots of Good News
Wonderful news! The second tranche (tranche? a portion of something, especially money) of parish financing closed this week! With today's favorable interest rates within parameters modeled, we're in good shape.
Our Parish Site Development Permit (SDP) was approved on Thursday, March 3, 2022. This is a big milestone in the project and worth celebrating. The SDP allows a seamless transition into the next phase of construction work. The tower site already has its SDP.
Tower crane license agreements are finalized. They allow construction of the two tower cranes. One crane will be on the east side of the alley, the other on the west side.
Salvaging limestone from the Rectory for re-use on the lobby exterior north wall is slated for March 7 - 18.
Excavation, of Newman Hall and Paulist Hall remains, continues through March 11.
Tower crane installation begins March 19.
Rectory demolition is scheduled for March 21-25.
Site Development Permitting for our aerial walkway begins on receipt of the main Parish SDP. It's expected to fall into the “small project” permit process, which may expedite processing.
As the excitement builds, we'd like to share what we know about our next steps at this point. Of course, flexibility and patience are our watch words - things might change and change again! Please watch the bulletin and eNews for updates.
While we'll keep the phones staffed and lines open, our parish offices will be closed the week of July 26th for the move to 500 W. MLK. We'll reopen for business in our new Ministry Center on August 2. The move from the rectory is scheduled for mid-August. And our farewell to some buildings we've known for generations is scheduled for the last weekend in August. After that ceremonial farewell, we'll invite those interested to reclaim their commemorative bricks or repatriate some lilies. Details will follow as the plans gel.
After that, our Church will remain our quiet center. As it has for decades, it will continue to center our community for these years of our migration and for many years to come. As we experience our pilgrimage of development and growth, we have the blessing of that steady center. In our sanctuary we gather in worship together again after pandemic-time apart. We celebrate the great mystery of the Mass, listen to God's Word as one, and in community receive the greatest of our sacraments, the Eucharist.
May 2 Status Presentation
Review the Presentation Video
Please Take the Survey
If you didn't get a chance to attend one of the two presentations offered, here are opportunities to get the news. Watch the presentation video (37 minutes) and/or review the slide presentation at the button below.
The Development Team invites you to take the survey at the second button below. Fr. Chuck is eager for your feedback through the Survey and very grateful for your interest in and support of this bold step into the future.
As we celebrate the beginning of our journey, let's lift our prayers together in hope and confidence. On this page are two prayers, an appeal to Fr. Isaac Hecker, founder of the Paulists, and below, the Prayer for Our Pilgrimage.
Heavenly Father, You called Your servant Isaac Thomas Hecker to preach the Gospel to the people of North America and, through his teaching, to know the peace and the power of Your indwelling Spirit.
He walked in the footsteps of St. Paul the Apostle, and like Paul spoke Your Word with a zeal for souls and a burning love for all who came to him in need.
Look upon us this day, with compassion and hope. Hear our prayer.
We ask that, through the intercession of Fr. Hecker Your servant, you might grant us the favor of Your support as we build in service of Your most amazing mission to be expressions of God’s love in this place, for this time. Send Your Spirit, to Whom Fr. Hecker was especially devoted, to be with all those hard at work on this endeavor - keep them safe from all harm.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit. One God, forever and ever.
Amen.
View Northeast from the Southwest
Soil Retention Work Where SACS Stood
Soil Retention Work Where Gym Stood
Big Update - A New Birth of Our Mission!
What a wonderful gift to receive as we celebrate the birth of the Church!
Let this be your official notice that this project is a go! Greystar closed today, all documents have been signed. We provided Greystar with authorization to proceed. Greystar will then provide the same to Hensel-Phelps. At long last, we are at the beginning of construction!
Rectory Comes Down, Cranes Go Up
March 20, 2022
On the Aerial Walkway - our Site Development Permit (under the small project process) application is in the works. We'll be ready for a "completeness check" by April 1, 2022. No foolin'!
We've received the building permit for the Tower which includes our Parish West components, the gym, rectory, and other spaces.
We've suspended our endeavors to salvage the rectory limestone - we couldn't recover sufficient material, and the process was overly time and labor intensive. We tried.
Rectory demolition calendared for March 21-23 requires that there's no access to the Church during that time by anyone unless escorted by construction personnel. Daily Mass will be in Antioch.
Piers for several of the tower’s shear walls are set in place.
With tower crane footing in place, this weekend will see the crane assembled.
The convoy returns! A parade of trucks will fill the West Side on March 31st.
What Does It Look Like?
Stone Salvage, Soil Stabilization, and Soon, Cranes!
March 8, 2022
Still no heat in the Church, please dress in layers for comfort.
Parish West - The drilling for tower cranes piers began, with shear wall pier drilling starting tomorrow.
Parish East – Salvage of the rectory stone started, and they're beginning to pull the parish east foundations.
Parish West - Completed soil retention wall along the alley. No problems were expected from the small amount of groundwater observed.
Parish East – The rectory demolition target completion date is March 25. Sawing to separate structures begins next week, with major demo the week of March 21. Therefore, it is likely we will need to relocate daily Masses on March 21-23.
From the parking garage - It is truly a fascinating thing to watch the heavy equipment at work- dump trucks arriving empty and departing full from around the site, lifts moving up and down salvaging stone from the rectory facade, excavators dropping huge blocks of old foundations onto other blocks to break them apart! Amazing!
What does it look like?
A Lag Here - A Quicker Pace There
Our Mantra - Blessed Are the Flexible
March 27, 2022
Another huge milestone is in our rearview mirror! We received the building permit for Parish East. We can begin to build in service to our mission.
The terrible storms that wreaked havoc across Central Texas on Monday (March 21) slowed transport of the heavy equipment needed for the Rectory demolition. The consequence of that delay is that we'll celebrate daily Mass and this Friday's Stations of the Cross in the Ministry Center where we'll remain through sometime next week. The silver lining - our virtual audience notes they've felt closer than ever to their in-person companions after seeing their faces more clearly in the smaller space. Masses on Saturday & Sunday will be in the Church.
Fill material for Parish West may arrive as early as April 1, sooner than the previously estimated April 4 date.Join us for Stations of the Cross and the KC Fish Fry to see where we're at day's end.
What to Expect - November 2, 2021
November 2, 2021 ~ Two Important Updates Affecting Access
1. The work on 21st Street is complete in our block and progressing to the west. 2. As contemplated in the illustation below, the Alley is now blocked at 21st Street. No parking is available daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
October 7, 2021 ~ Courtyard Blocked & Fences Up
Alley Access Limited - NOT Recommended
Our Power is Almost On!
March 31, 2022
Late Breaking News! Daily Mass will be celebrated in Antioch in the Ministry Center until further notice.
Rectory demolition complete April. The tower crane for Parish East is now set for installation on April 30. This delaywill not affect scheduled building turnover date of June 1, 2023. We're still on schedule.
Not unexpectedly, the roof and ceilings in the new lobby space suffered some damage during the demolition which Hensel Phelps is repairing.
Hensel Phelps is actively working to get the plumber back on site to restore water back to the level 2 sinks and bathrooms.
Borings to inform the pier design for Parish East should be complete next week. This is a very noisy activity. Recommendation: continue to have daily Mass at the Ministry Center until that work is done.
Austin Energy temporary power work for Parish East is nearly complete.
Prayer for Our Pilgrimage
Amazing Spirit of God, Awaken us again to your enlivening presence, in parish and school – in classroom and pew. You have guided and walked with us from our beginning, with the founding generations to the present moment. Upon your urging we now are raising up a new home for the mission you entrust to us: to be a beacon of hope in the life of our world, and a touchstone of faith and mercy for generations to come. Strengthen our commitment step by step. Clarify our vision and its application so as not to falter. Keep us grounded. Keep us truthful. Bless us with the lightness of your touch in laughter and in stillness. Remind us that we build in service of your most amazing mission to be expressions of God’s love in this place, for this time. As we are taught, we dare to pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
We Pray for Your Patience As
We Ask for a Do-Over
What to expect ~ We've asked the architects to provide us with another version of the planned experience that we'll post to this page. Our best estimate for the delivery of that presentation is mid-October at the earliest.
What happened ~
As we've experienced recently, our Sling Studio interface failed once again. While we're continuing to work on that technical issue by exploring various options, the presentation didn't livestream. Our video didn't capture the presenter's voice well and the Q & A speakers' voices can't be heard - we can't use it.
We're Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'!
Not to plant an earworm, but head 'em up, move 'em out! Our next big effort this Moving Summer is that of the Rectory. In residence since it was built in 1953, our shepherds have for many years lived with precarious plumbing, an erratic elevator, and recent rains into the third floor. One parishioner helping with the rectory packing observed, "This change is long overdue." Please keep our shepherds in your prayers as they endure a period of inconvenience until we can get them comfortably settled into their development home.
While we're not fully settled into our new Ministry Center yet, we're closer every day! As in any settling in, there have been hiccups, but the space is fresh. It's practically brand-new in comparison to our well-loved but weary old spaces. After all, it was built in the late 2000s! As we continue to straddle the alley and San Antonio, our reception team will still be in Newman Hall while staff will be on Level Two at 500 West MLK. Thank you for your patience as we iron out wrinkles as they appear.
This effort has been monumental! We're amazed by the generosity of our volunteer team. We're very grateful for the patience, creativity, perseverance, and kindness exhibited by this community. Please join our prayers of thanksgiving for the success of this effort so far.