Sunday, September 4, 2011

The new “lower” height design of St. James church

Neither the parish nor its architect has posted the changes proposed to Belvidere City Council.  Thus only parishioners who attended the August 15 city council meeting or have been given a special showing are aware of the new design.

Here are the changes proposed—basically the building is now seven feet lower* and now closer to the parish center.

 

* Seventy feet was described previously as the height-- these photocopies speak of 72 feet as the original plans and 63 feet as the new height.  Note on both plans a cross  is on top of the roof still higher than these heights.

Brochure B-1

OLD

Brochure B-4

NEW

Brochure B-5

Brochure B-6

Brochure B-7

Brochure B-8

Brochure B-9

Brochure B-10

The new with handicapped spaces:

170 spaces w-ADA

Brochure B-11

Brochure B-12

Brochure B-13

Brochure B-14

Brochure B-15

Note the new design still has a cross almost as high as the old church and old church is that high only at the bell tower portion.  The old church’s peak is less than 50 feet.

Brochure B-16

Brochure B-17

 

New design is still eleven feet (nearly a story) higher than Alpine Bank-- when church’s peak is compared with bank’s flat roof. And remember there still is the added height of the cross no where is there mention of its height.  It appears to be 8 to 10 feet higher.

Brochure B-18

Without a bell tower the old designed, new church is taller than the old church.

Brochure B-19

 

Now with the new design the new church’s height equals the height of the old church at the top of the old church which atop the bell tower.

 

Brochure B-21

 

The 63 feet structure does not look so out of place with trees etc. in this view down Logan Ave.  Because several two story homes on the frame’s right,  the new 63 feet church appear no taller than these homes.

 

Brochure B Main

 

However now look what happens when the trees are erased (after all the trees around the convent will have to be cut down.) And your view is only of the structures near the new church.  The new church is twice the height of the gym at the parish center and because of distance from the school is nearly twice its height.

Brochure B   Main Touched

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