MAY 15: This morning crews were clearing the lot in preparation for bringing down the old office building. Rumors that the building was to be imploded were not true. Electric utility crews and gas district representatives were on hand to prepare for installations of new conduits and gas lines across Oak street. A new power pole went up across the street to provide a termination for underground lines which will serve a relocated power transformer. Telephone engineers were there yesterday to lay out locations for new telephone cables. By noon, windows of buildings across Acadamy Street and on the main church building had been boarded up.  In the afternoon, demolition was begun. Mr. Bishop's crew was ramming the building with a pole attached to the bucket of a front-end loader. By evening, the front porch and wall were down. The building was not, as previously thought, a brick veneer building. Although built as a residence (parsonage) in the 1930's, the building was a full masonary building with the walls three bricks thick.

picture courtesy Jerry Spann

MAY 16:  Today the entire front portion on the north side of the building fell to the battering ram, as had the office corner on the south front.  The work was tedious because the building was close to the main building on the south side, and utility lines along Acadamy Street.  As choir practice convened in the main building, scavengers were on the site collecting wood molding.
picture courtesy Jerry Spann
MAY 17:  By noon, all that remains of the old office building is a pile of rubble, quicklydisappearing into Mr. Bishop's dump trucks.

MAY 19, Late afternoon: The parking lot is broom clean, there is a hole in the ground where the old building was, and there is still access to the back door of the church. At least for this week, wheelchair users will be able to use that door.  Hopefully, we will have a ramp to one of the front doors before this access is closed.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 23:  There has been no construction activity this week.  It might be assumed that Whaley is completing the Courthouse before embarking on this project.
Or maybe not . . . .

THURSDAY, MAY 24: 180 Feet of 4" PVC conduit and associated fittings, as well as some smaller conduit has been unloaded into the parking lot. This will be used to move the electric service to the Oak Street side of the building.

TUESDAY, MAY 29, Early evening:  The two air conditioners outside the kitchen door have been disconnected and moved.  There is a 10-foot deep excavation up to the northwest tower of the church building.  The equipment plaza floor will be lowered and a new retaining wall erected about even with the front wall of the church.  Charles Ingram says that the air conditioning equipment will be back in operation by Sunday.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 30: WHOOPS! Excavation has exposed the footings of the northwest tower! It will be necessary to relocate the retaining wall and fill the area next to the church building.  The equipment plaza will be 2-level, and it may be necessary to hook up the air conditioning equipment temporarily on the walkway to the northwest tower. By mid-morning, forms constructions crews were busy building forms; Bishop excavating has removed the blacktop from most of the parking lot. There is a considerable amount of water in the excavation. The contractor did not expect to find the type soil (red and white mixed clay) at the site. The excavation is down to about the first floor level.

THURSDAY, MAY 31, LATE AFTERNOON: Backfill and rain cover has been applied around the tower footings. The air conditioning equipment has been temporarily "installed" on the walkway to the northwest entrance. Conduit has been laid in a trench across Oak Street for electric and cable services, with some extra runs for possible future use. Four forms about 4 feet on a side have been filled with concrete with hooks in the top. The purpose of these monstrous concrete blocks is not immediately apparent. Oak Street is closed thru the block, and the lot where the old youth center was located has been fenced off, as has the north side of the construction site.