CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte Properties Office and the Technology Services team are already busy with summer projects at locations across the diocese.
June, July and early August are usually a hectic time for these staffs, as the favorable weather makes for considerable progress in construction, and with schools out for the summer, the largely unoccupied buildings make large-scale projects easier to tackle.
The diocesan Properties Office is facilitating several projects in the next several months, some extending into next year.
At Asheville Catholic School in Asheville, the diocesan Properties Office will provide project management assistance for the school as they undertake construction of a 12,000-square-foot addition. The project includes six new classrooms for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first and second grades.
The new addition will also include a dedicated art room, something the school has not had in years past. An academic support classroom for these grades is also planned. New restrooms, storage space, meeting rooms, custodial facilities and a common area are in the plans as well.
The estimated cost of the yearlong project is $3.9 million. The project is being funded by proceeds from an Asheville Catholic School Capital Campaign which has raised over $2 million so far, a $300,000 St. Eugene Parish “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” grant to the school, and a $475,000 direct FFHL educational improvement grant.
“We are excited about this new opportunity to provide a better learning environment for our amazing students and staff members,” said Asheville Catholic School’s principal, Mike Miller.
“This is the first time that Asheville Catholic and St. Eugene (Parish) have facilitated a local capital campaign together for the school.”
Renovations are also underway to create a sacristy and confessional near the chapel for Christ the King High School in Huntersville. A storage shed will also be constructed on the school’s campus. Permanent lighting will also be installed around the combination football, lacrosse and soccer field.
Estimated cost of the summer projects at the high school is $430,000. Funding comes from various sources including savings from prior capital projects involving the school’s expansion in 2019, proceeds from a Silver and Blue Fundraiser and a contribution from the school’s athletic association.
The Properties Office is also providing project management assistance to St. Luke Church for the construction of a pavilion, athletic fields and rectory on 31 acres along Fairview Road in Mint Hill.
The projects totaling $2.173 million are the first phase of a major expansion plan for the parish, which plans to build a new, larger church on the site in the future.
The diocesan Technology Services department is in the process of several projects in addition to the usual network maintenance and management work for the Diocesan Pastoral Center, the nine schools in the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system, and Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte.
The staff are replacing the wired and wireless network appliances at four parishes, as well as installing phones and a computer network at the new St. Joseph College Seminary in Belmont and at Catholic Charities’ location in Asheville.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Pictured above: Asheville Catholic School will undertake construction of a $3.9 million, 12,000-square-foot addition starting this month. (Sketch provided by Diocese of Charlotte Properties office)