New Life, New Hope, New Mission!    

Email   info@PioneerPresbyterian.org  

Directions www.MapQuest.com

Ministry Offices  300 Appleton Street, Holyoke, MA 01040
Ministry Center 160 West State Street, at the Meadows in Granby, MA

Home Worship Prayer Meetings From the Pastor Who Are We? Building Progress Connecting Feedback

 

The new ministry campus at the Meadows of Granby that will be central to the Pioneer Valley.  It is accessible from Holyoke (5 miles), South Hadley (2 miles), Belchertown (8 miles along US 202),  Chicopee (3 miles from MA 33-Memorial Drive), Amherst, Pelham, and Hadley (8-15 miles along from MA 116). 

Scroll down the page to see the progress (latest to earliest)

 

 

May 8, 2008
  • Most all  work necessary to obtain a Certificate of Occupation has been completed. 
  • This week: lightening rods connected, restroom dividers installed, carpeting laid, door sills replaced, porch posts sheathed, finish plumbing inspected, fire extinguishers installed, audio chases framed and plastered, fire blocks at the electric box installed, water heater relay activated. 
 
  • March, 2008 - We're about ready to commence worship services in the main hall.  Heat, plaster, electricity and water are functioning. 
  • February, 2008 - We are on the penultimate push.  Spray foam insulation (reducing heating demands 30%-50%; & air exchange down to 0.6 cf from 3.2/hour).  Next dry wall and plaster, then heating and propane.  Hardware and door will soon follow. 
  • October 4, 2007 - We've hit a holding pattern as we wait for the doors to arrive and for an engineering approval for repositioning a roof truss member that has to be cut to accommodate a heating duct.  It's been a good run for the past eight weeks and much has been accomplished.  We are sill looking to begin occupancy in December (but praying for November).

 
  • September 16, 2007 - Believe it or not, the first hymn to God was sung in the main hall this Sunday: Psalm 23 to the tune of EVAN!   We recessed our scheduled worship at the Legion Hall and caravanned over to the land to inscribe scripture passages and prayers on the framework.  Don't miss the excitement and inspiration in the weeks ahead as we gradually shape the building for reaching the world as Christ's ambassadors.    

  • August, 2007 - Utilities conduits, waste water lines and the septic are in place.  Framing should begin as soon as the rough grading is completed this week. 
July 2, 2007 - The footings and foundation have received the Building Inspector's check!  Pastor Rodkey met with the heating and plumbing subcontractor to review the heating system.  We are looking at an on-demand boiler with a three staged, ganged heat  exchangers.  This is estimated to be 94% efficient, and beca    use of the irregular demands for heat in a church, more suitable than the hydronic PEX system first considered.        
  • June 18, 2007 - Foundation Forms are being installed by Bob, Forest and Adam! 

THE EXCAVATION PERMIT IS IN HAND!!! It only took 362 days

 WE'RE ROLLING!

OUR TARGET DATE TO RECONVENE CONSTRUCTION IS now APRIL  MAY 9, 2007 how about June 5, 2007     

 
We're finally back at it.  The center for Ministry, Worship, Outreach is underway!
  • June 8, 2007 - The footings are in!

  • June 1, 2007 - 3.5" of permits and word has finally arrived that we can move ahead!  Go, God! Go!

  • May 15, 2007 - Opps!  Our tax-exempt status didn't take effect until July 2006, leaving us with a tax bill for the preceding quarter when the land was still a taxable parcel.

  • May 2, 2007 - concerns over the height were raised.  We are consulting (again) with various officials for clarification

  • April 17, 2007 - Electrical service is installed!  Another landmark. "Power up, God!"

  • April 4, 2007 - Time's-a-close!  The EPA Storm Water Pollution and Preservation Plan was filed today. 

 

  • March 20, 2007 - With the Conservation Commission approval on March 13, 2007, we successfully drilled a 250' well with a water flow of 30 gallons/minute!  This week the Granby Health Department will make a second review of the septic system design.

  • March 14, 2007, just before the spring thaw, we were able to get the boring rig onto the land and successfully drill  the well.  "Ready for many-a-baptisms now!"

We're on a roll!  On

Oh no!   Conservation concerns over the disturbed soil have caused us to pause briefly while we get some advice and a few permits.  The public hearing for the review was to have been on November 14, 2006., but had to be rescheduled for November 28, because of no-quorum. 

 

The driveway to the Ministry Center is started!  October 18, 2006

 

 

The police detail for October 15  observed the sightline for oncoming traffic was a bit tight.  They suggested we shift the driveway as far east as possible to gain a few extra seconds of visibility.  Russell Street Builders did just this.  The new driveway will have a slight curve to it; a bit Zen like.

 

The Ministry Center will be on a thirty acre field at 160 West State Street in Granby, Massachusetts; central to the Pioneer Valley mission field. 

Click here to view a satellite image of the field...

Satellite View of the Land

 

 

 

This rendering gives an idea of what the new ministry facilities will look like.  Although it is rudimentary, you can see the concept of a multifunctional hall with a deck, and the attached ministry/mission wing for outreach services and discipleship development.

 

 

 

 

The design is for each room to be multi-functional.  The assembly hall serves as worship space, lecture hall, dinning room, youth fellowship activities center.  The coat room doubles as storage in the summer. The nursery will accommodate both infants and toddlers.  The kitchen hosts both catering and in-house cooking.  The music room can be divided into two classrooms with ample storage for instruments and teaching aids.  The unisex restroom is handicap accessible, plus it will hold a shower for visiting mission teams our youth overnights, as well as allow the grounds keeper to clean up before heading home. The reception area is a place for greeting as well as a warm, dignified space for recipients of food assistance and the like. 

 
Updated: 06/25/2008