HOLY TRINITY

ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

3315 VERDUGO ROAD, LOS ANGELES, CA  90065

Tel. (323) 255-8583                Fax (818) 688-3965

E-mail: preot@biserica.org

Rev. Fr. Constantin Alecse, Parish Priest

Non-Profit Org. - Tax No. 95-2281840

 

SUBMITTED BUILDING PLANS AWAIT

 THE LOS ANGELES BUILDING DEPARTMENT APPROVAL

 

 

September 17, 2003

 

Dear members of the Parish Council & Building Committee,

Dear parishioners & supporters of Holy Trinity Church,

 

Now, with the summer season over, and everyone returned home from vacations, I hope this letter will find each one of you, and your families, in the best of health.

 

Since the end of August 2004, when the parish office has sent out the “invitation” to the 65th Church Anniversary – November 6-7, 2004 to everyone on the parish mailing list (parish leadership, building committee members, parish membership-at-large and all the supporters and benefactors of this church), new developments occurred in as far as the building project is concerned.

 

Below is a summary of those developments:

 

Sometimes before and/or on August 17, 2004, the following plans and documents (Phase I) were submitted for approval to the Building Department of the City of Los Angeles, California:

 

  1. Architectural plans
  2. Structural Engineering plans
  3. Soil and Geological Engineering reports
  4. Electrical plans
  5. Kitchen plans – submitted to the Health Department for review and approval
  6. Kitchen plans, submitted with the architectural plans to the LA Building Department
  7. Mechanical Engineering plans (A/c, ventilation, plumbing, waste)
  8. Street improvement: Field survey for street design plans, and mapping of the survey data.
  9. The grading plans, are currently in the process of being finalized, thus incorporating all the changes up-to-date made by all the other architectural and engineering firms. Mr. George Boghossian (civil engineer) anticipates submitting these plans before or on October 8, 2004.

Note - Grading and drainage plans include the following:

a)      Research data of: utilities, survey centerline ties, benchmark descriptions and locations.

b)      Boundary survey: Boundary analysis, setting of boundary monuments, spot elevations.

c)      Grading and drainage plans: Complete site development plan, grading specifications, drainage details, fill and cut quantities, retaining walls structural calculations and wall sections, hydrology and hydraulic calculations, erosion control plan, NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination) System, SUSMP (Standard Urban Storm water Mitigation Plan).

d)      Horizontal control plan: The horizontal control plan for the entire project site will tie in mathematically, by using the “staking plan”, all of the improvements to the property line.

e)      Construction survey: Construction staking and setting of horizontal and vertical controls.

f)        Street improvement: Field survey for street design plans, and mapping of the survey data.

g)      Design street (and equestrian trail); Inform all utility companies and request their response, as requested by the City

h)      Process clearance of the CUP No. 2,9,14,15,18 (partial), 19 & 20.

i)        Street lighting: Design street lighting plan.

 

Corrections & Approvals (up-to-date):

a)      Health Department approved the kitchen plans, with corrections.

(Approval: # 304-289 of September 8, 2004)

b)      Soil and Geological Report.

On August 10, 2004, the LA Building Department sent us a letter requesting additional information regarding “the stability or safety of the proposed development”. Namely, they request a “liquefaction analysis”, or to “provide recommendations as to whether the property is subject to liquefaction potential, and provide calculated seismically induced settlements and differential settlements”.

Fr. Alecse is working presently with Mr. Al Wing, of R.T.Frankian & Associates (hired by the Church to produce the “Soil & Geological Report) to resolve this matter.

c)      Fire Department approval & Fire Hydrant.

On September 14, 2004, Architect Garo Minassian informed the parish office that the Fire Department gave their approval for our Architectural plans with the condition that, before we start any work on the property, “an application for a fire hydrant” be submitted with DWP, drawings be made and a “Fire Hydrant” be installed at the property, “before any lumber and other flammable materials be permitted to be brought on the property”.  Mr. George Boghossian (civil engineer) offered to submit such an application on our church’s behalf.

 

Currently, we are working to secure the following services:

a)      Engineering services for traffic management study and (traffic signal?) reports, based on the “report study of the Department of Transportation. (This issue is handled with the help from the Civil Engineer, Mr. Bogossian’s office); The Power & Traffic Signal Wiring plans will be handled through the Arrow Design Firm.

b)      A Landscaping Architect, for: landscaping & irrigation plans.

c)      Public Announcement (PA) & Telecommunication System.

Our parishioner, Mr. Octavian Cinca will work closely with the electrical engineer to produce the sound and telecommunication system plans.

 

Building Committee Meeting

 

The church volunteers of the Building Committee are invited to attend a Building Committee Meeting, on Friday October 1, 2004 at 7:00 pm, at the Holy Trinity Church Hall, to discuss the following:

 

  1. Analyze the present status of the Building Program;
  2. Discuss and decide how to proceed with the “project construction”, as soon as the plans will be approved:
    1. General contractor / superintendent, etc;
    2. When, where & who is taking bids (grading, construction, etc.), on behalf of the building committee;
    3. Set a “project time-line” (when to start grading, construction, etc.)
    4. How to get small companies and individuals, from our Romanian community (specialized in various trades: electric, plumbing), involved in the building project.
  3. Ways and means to raise funds for the building project (including soliciting, short term investments)
  4. The 65th Church Anniversary (how to make it a resounding financial success)

 

Looking forward to seeing you all at our Building Committee Meeting, on Friday October 1, 2004 at 7:00 pm.

Respectfully yours,

 

Marian Serban                   Fr. Constantin Alecse                    Constantin Jercan

Parish Council President        Parish Priest                          Committee Chairman

 

q       Building Project

q       Christian Life / Viata Crestină, July-September 2004

q       Publicatii.com (The Church Magazine)