New SSPX Viginia Seminary: Huge Construction Problems
Dec 31, 2017 7:03:26 GMT
Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2017 7:03:26 GMT
I have known for a while some of the huge Construction flaws/issues with the new neo-SSPX Virginia Seminary and upon receiving an email of a recent ex-seminarian coming from that seminary with his knowledge of one of the flawed building practices, I'd make a post on it. Here is what he wrote:
There are three of the larger flaws/issues I have heard from one of the many contractor managers assisting the project.
1). The material for the installed slate roof was the wrong thickness. On the drawing it was suppose to be a 1/2" thick slate and what was ordered and installed instead to save some money was 1/4". Not only did it shorten its roof life by half, the installers had such a hard time working with it breaking on them, especially when they had to walk on it, it broke under their feet...and having to re-do those areas again. It required extra hoists and lifts strategies in the thousands of dollars extra...and it is still an under rated roof.
2). The Virginia Seminary was obliged to drill a ridiculous number of wells and holding tanks to support the operation of that huge building, i.e. fire system, huge pool fountain, and normal water use, at the tune of millions of dollars. (I forgot the crazy number of wells at the moment and will edit it when I remember or see the person again).
3). Two neo-sspx priests ran the entire management of the construction project and were/are so inept of construction practices, values, and systems, the neo-SSPX had to hire many new Architects, engineers, and "assistant" construction managers because they kept walking off the job with their hands tied unable to do their professional work and not wanting their name attached to that project. This too was layered in high expense to a million dollars.
When the project was announced by the sspx leaders, they said the total cost would be estimated at about 25 million, then they said at the ground breaking event it may be around 40 million dollars. However, the present project cost is already climbed over $100 million dollars, and they are not finished yet.
Seems they could have kept that "old" Winona Seminary and fixed it up...10 times.
Here is a photo of the Pool Fountain at the new Virginia Seminary. Quite elaborate for a "traditionally modest" seminary. It reminds me of a sspx priest, who prior to his seminary years, had visited Dom Gerard of the Benedictines in Le Barroux France in 1993 to enter just after they broke away from Archbishop Lefebvre, and said he saw a swimming pool in the cloister area..and left. History repeats itself...
The neo-sspx could have taken that prime piece of real estate and grown a nice cloistered traditional perennial flower garden for the edification and quiet meditation of the seminarians and place some of its beauty of flowers on the seminary's altars and in front of the statue of the Mother of God. Instead, they enriched themselves in delight of a expensive pool maintenance and algae growth. Seems synonymous to their new path going into modern rome.
Not only was I a parishioner in Phoenix but I was recently a seminarian:
While at Seminary I learned of a certain concrete pour at Virginia that was done incorrectly because of communication problems with the priests in charge and the ever-changing contractors involved and/or architectural firms involved, that had to be redone to the tune of several million dollars.
The SSPX is a sick organization and should be avoided at all costs. (RyanAugustine)
While at Seminary I learned of a certain concrete pour at Virginia that was done incorrectly because of communication problems with the priests in charge and the ever-changing contractors involved and/or architectural firms involved, that had to be redone to the tune of several million dollars.
The SSPX is a sick organization and should be avoided at all costs. (RyanAugustine)
There are three of the larger flaws/issues I have heard from one of the many contractor managers assisting the project.
1). The material for the installed slate roof was the wrong thickness. On the drawing it was suppose to be a 1/2" thick slate and what was ordered and installed instead to save some money was 1/4". Not only did it shorten its roof life by half, the installers had such a hard time working with it breaking on them, especially when they had to walk on it, it broke under their feet...and having to re-do those areas again. It required extra hoists and lifts strategies in the thousands of dollars extra...and it is still an under rated roof.
2). The Virginia Seminary was obliged to drill a ridiculous number of wells and holding tanks to support the operation of that huge building, i.e. fire system, huge pool fountain, and normal water use, at the tune of millions of dollars. (I forgot the crazy number of wells at the moment and will edit it when I remember or see the person again).
3). Two neo-sspx priests ran the entire management of the construction project and were/are so inept of construction practices, values, and systems, the neo-SSPX had to hire many new Architects, engineers, and "assistant" construction managers because they kept walking off the job with their hands tied unable to do their professional work and not wanting their name attached to that project. This too was layered in high expense to a million dollars.
When the project was announced by the sspx leaders, they said the total cost would be estimated at about 25 million, then they said at the ground breaking event it may be around 40 million dollars. However, the present project cost is already climbed over $100 million dollars, and they are not finished yet.
Seems they could have kept that "old" Winona Seminary and fixed it up...10 times.
Here is a photo of the Pool Fountain at the new Virginia Seminary. Quite elaborate for a "traditionally modest" seminary. It reminds me of a sspx priest, who prior to his seminary years, had visited Dom Gerard of the Benedictines in Le Barroux France in 1993 to enter just after they broke away from Archbishop Lefebvre, and said he saw a swimming pool in the cloister area..and left. History repeats itself...
The neo-sspx could have taken that prime piece of real estate and grown a nice cloistered traditional perennial flower garden for the edification and quiet meditation of the seminarians and place some of its beauty of flowers on the seminary's altars and in front of the statue of the Mother of God. Instead, they enriched themselves in delight of a expensive pool maintenance and algae growth. Seems synonymous to their new path going into modern rome.
