PROJECT 2020 – Questions and Answers From the November 19, 2017 Parish Open Houses – Click HERE to view.
PROJECT 2020 – Earlier Questions that have come up during the Capital Campaign “Behold, Believe, Belong.”
Archdiocese:
Q) With the Omaha Archdiocese closing or consolidating a number of the Churches in our Deanery, is it wise to be spending any money on expansion of St. Bonaventure facilities at this time?
A) Actually, this is arguably the ideal time for St. Bonaventure Catholic Church’s Project 2020 plan. St. Bonaventure is the largest Parish in our Deanery and will incur little, if any, negative effects from the Archbishop’s Diocesan plan. On the contrary, worried Catholics in our Deanery are going to be looking to us for leadership. It will be extremely important for St. Bonaventure to provide a welcoming environment for existing and new parishioners and have a solid plan in place for the future. Project 2020 does exactly that.
Q) Does the Archdiocese contribute to the campaign?
A) No. This is a parish responsibility. Q) How much of my pledge goes to the Archdiocese? A) Zero. All campaign contributions stay at St. Bonaventure
Basement:
Q) Did the Project 2020 Team consider a basement under the new parish center? A) Yes. With cost estimates of $1,000,000 and other logistical concerns, the team agreed it was not a viable option.
Bidding Process:
Q) Will the project be sent out for bids?
A) Yes. The archdiocese holds a list of approved builders that can bid on the project. Q) Are we required to take the lowest bids? A) No. The ability to complete the project within our time frame and other factors are also considered when deciding who will be awarded the work.
Building Begins:
Q) When do we start?
A) Archdiocesan guidelines generally suggest having 50% of the estimated total for a project on hand to proceed.
Building Order:
Q) Which part of Project 2020 will be built first?
A) This will be determined by the building committee once we have a firm handle on total pledges and the time frame to monetize the pledges. Fr. Mike is committed to not putting the parish into detrimental debt. In Phase IV – the Project 2020 team will establish priorities.
Building Surface:
Q) What material will cover the outside of the building?
A) The objective is to match the existing architectural design and look of St. Bon’s church. Brick and cast stone will be the primary surfaces.
Chapels:
Q) Will we keep the Guadalupe chapel?
A) Yes. It will be moved to the north as the confessionals will be relocated to the southwest corner of the church.
Q) Will we lose seating by removing the side Chapel?
A) No. By moving the narthex to the west, additional pews will be added to the body of the church with seating for about 100.
Q) Why can’t we keep the side Chapel?
A) Retaining and updating the existing side chapel and existing Parish Center would add $500K to the project and would require the proposed Parish Center be ‘pushed’ 32 feet further north, negatively impacting the residential property we do not own, and/or requiring redesign of the Parish Center floor plan to accommodate the residential property. Additionally, 10 to 15 parking spaces would also be lost.
Church:
Q) Will there be lost seating by removing the side chapel?
A) No. By moving the narthex to the west, additional pews will be added to the body of the church with seating for about 100.
Q) Will the stained-glass windows be blocked?
A) No. The design allows for natural light to flow through the windows.
Q) Will there be a Cry Room?
A) The expanded narthex will serve that purpose. It will include audio for participation in the Mass.
Q) Will the Confessionals be moved?
A) Yes, the confessionals will be relocated to the southwest corner of the church.
Q) Will we get new pews in the expanded church area?
A) No. We will repurpose the pews from the side chapel.
Elevation:
Q) How is it that there will be no steps entering the church?
A) Grading a gradual slope from the parking lot entrance will leave the “plaza” level (area in front of the church) equal in elevation with the vestibule.
Finance:
Q) What if we do not raise $10.5 million – does the entire project fail?
A) No. This plan can be built in phases over time. The project does not have to be completed all at once. The intent of the Project 2020 master plan is to address parish needs for the long term. We will proceed with phases of the Project 2020 plan as funding is generated.
Q) What is the estimated cost increase to maintain the additional facilities?
A) $70,000 – $100,000 (including maintenance and lost revenue from rental properties)
Q) How will the increase in maintenance expense be covered?
A) We expect revenue growth from parish growth with Project 2020. One hundred (100) new families joined the parish in the last year. Studies show that the type of facilities being added attract new parishioners. Also – the budget has improved by about $85,000 in the last year.
Q) Will we borrow money for Project 2020? A) That is not the intent at this time.
Gymnasium:
Q) Will the new gym be used for outside events/organizations?
A) To be determined by the school administration.
Q) Will the gym be the same size?
A) No. It will be a much larger regulation sized gym with a stage.
Q) Will it include seating?
A) Yes, two rows of bleacher seating on the West side.
Handicapped:
Q) Will the restrooms be handicap accessible?
A) Yes.
Kitchen:
Q) How large is the new kitchen?
A) Sufficient space for a full kitchen is included in the master plan.
Q) Does the new parish center include a full kitchen or a catering kitchen?
A) That determination has not yet been made. A catering kitchen would reduce the overall cost.
Music:
Q) Does the plan include anything for music preparation?
A) Yes. The parish center includes a music room for rehearsals and storage.
Narthex:
Q) How many doors will be coming in/out of the church?
A) Three doors to the outside and one door on the north side as an entrance to the parish center.
Q) How much larger will the narthex be.
A) Approximately 3 times the current size.
Parish Center:
Q) Will the parish center be used for wedding receptions?
A) Yes, as well as funeral luncheons, pancake feeds, and other celebrations.
Q) How many people will it seat?
A) 350 around circular tables for banquets and 600 for lectures
Q) What is the size of the new parish center?
A) Just over 6,300 square feet
Q) Can it be used for Meeting Space?
A) Yes. It will have partitions to create up to 6 meeting rooms.
Q) Will the parish center have space for Brides?
A) Yes. It includes a Family Room for families before funerals and for wedding preparation.
Q) Did the Project 2020 Team consider a Basement under the new parish center?
A) Yes. With cost estimates of $1,000,000 and other logistical concerns, the team agreed it was not a viable option.
Q) Can the Parish Center be rented outside of the parish family for another source of revenue?
A) This has not been discussed. The parish would have to come first and guidelines would need to established with damage deposits, security fees, etc. We anticipate Knights of Columbus usage as well.
Parking Lot:
Q) How much parking will be lost with the expansion?
A) With additional parking added, there will be a net gain of 67 parking stalls.
Q) Will Scotus be allowed to use the parking areas?
A) A similar plan to the current one will be reviewed. Funeral parking will always take precedence over school parking.
Playground:
Q) Is the playground being eliminated?
A) No. But with the location and size of the new gym, the playground will move.
Rectory:
Q) Does this plan include upgrades to the rectory?
A) No. Project 2020 addresses needs at the church and school.
Rental Properties:
Q) How much will be lost in rental income?
A) Net of expenses, approximately $10-$15,000 per year. Archbishop Lucas has said that we should not be in the rental business.
Restrooms:
Q) Will the parish center have restrooms?
A) Yes. It will have large, ADA compliant restrooms. There will also be restrooms in the family room, which is closer to the narthex.
Security:
Q) Will there be security cameras?
A) Security is a high priority for the school. Cameras have not been discussed for the church.
Parishioner Questions and Comments Forum
Have a Project 2020 Question?
St. Bonaventure Catholic Church invites parishioners to submit any questions and/or comments regarding Project 2020 by clicking here on our Project 2020 Question Contact Form. You will either receive an email reply or your question and our response will be posted on this webpage so all parishioners who might have similar questions can view it. Unless otherwise directed in submitted emails, we will identify the questioner by his/her first name only. Questions, Comments and Answers will be listed chronologically, with the most recent submission first. Thank you for your interest and may God bless you and your family!
Q. I thought the video was very well done and laid out in sufficient detail, the 2020 project. There is one area within the church that perhaps could be improved. I would like to have you consider some enhancement to the area in the front of the church near the votive lights which is used by perpetual adorers to sign in. In my view, this small area is not very inviting . . .a small book shelf with minimal reading materials and poor lighting. Many of the adorers are of the age where lighting is important. This may not be an issue during daylight hours however after dark, this area lacks sufficient lighting to read whether it’s the bible, prayer booklets or religious papers. Many adorers not only spend their time in methodical or mental prayer but also gain insight from reading scripture and religious materials. Most night adorers do not use the first few pews near the votive lights but rather move to the front center pew and sit under the light attached to the pillar which provides only minimum light. I am certainly not a design artist but perhaps a couple of those short pews by the sign in area could be removed and the area made brighter and more inviting. Thank you for your consideration – Jim, December 2016 A. Hi Jim – Thank you for your question. We truly appreciate your comments and suggestions on improving the Perpetual Adoration environment. Perpetual Adoration has been ongoing at St. Bonaventure since February 14, 1961, – almost fifty-six continuous years. Wow! What a wonderful blessing this is for our parish and for our parishioners! Although making changes to this part of the church isn’t in the scope of Project 2020, you do bring up some good suggestions. We will pass your comments on to the Operations and Maintenance Committee, which is responsible for monitoring needed repairs and recommending changes to the church campus facilities and operations as they become apparent. One challenge raised by Fr. Mike in regard to your suggestion is how to make this area more inviting without it becoming a distraction during our liturgical services. We’ll see if we can come up with a creative solution. Incidentally, if you have not seen it yet, our parish website has an entire webpage devoted to Perpetual Adoration. It has the history of Perpetual Adoration at St. Bonaventure, suggestions on how to spend your “hour” with the Lord, lists the spiritual benefits and graces attributed to Perpetual Adoration, and has other insightful and informative Perpetual Adoration detail as well. This page even has a “Perpetual Adoration” clock counting forward the exact number of Years, Months, Days, Hours, Minutes and Seconds since Perpetual Adoration started at St. Bonaventure in 1961. Thank you again for your suggestions, Jim. We want to do everything we can to enhance the Perpetual Adoration experience for our parishioners, which has been so important in the spiritual success of our parish. We also appreciate your personal dedication in taking your “hour” and ask you to include Project 2020 in your prayers during the powerful times you spend with Jesus in adoration. The Building Committee
I agree with the priorities outlined in Project 2020. I loved the emphasis on a new, larger parish center and a larger narthex. It totally makes sense for a church with so many families! The rest of the top priorities outlined in this study are spot on. Thank you for identifying the needs of St Bonaventure so well. Can’t wait for Phase 2! – Jeff, Jan. 31, 2016