See the photos that follow. They depict the laying of the pavers throughout the property, as well as the planter and other walls along Valencia Street. It seems, now, that construction is continuing at a fast pace.
Pavers being laid between the western garden and the courtyard
Pavers being laid behind the Cathedral, along the eastern wall
Pavers being laid along the south wall and garden
The wall and fence footings along Valencia Street being constructed. This will enable the fence to be pushed back and positioned behind the new sidewalk, which is being poured as this issue of the Herald is being delivered to you.
The above photos show us putting on the finishing touches on the exterior of the building. Externally, we’re preparing the clear path of travel, which is one of the conditions in order for us to begin using the garage. The other is the elevator, which is now installed, and waiting for final inspection. Currently, we are looking into the legal side of what it means to have been issued a conditional use permit for operation of the garage. As previously noted, on January 11 we were granted a conditional use permit by the San Francisco Planning Commission. This means that we will be able to charge for parking when the garage is not being used by Cathedral parishioners when they come for worship. By the way, we are not going to be operating the lot ourselves: we will be engaging a third-party operator to run it. In turn, they will be paying us in order for us to pay for maintenance, utilities, upkeep and the like. While these things are being sorted out, we are completing the garage exhaust, installing the gates—in a word, putting on the finishing touches, so that we can utilize both the garage and enjoy the exterior. The interior is another story. Several options are open to us. But, for now, we are working as fast as we can to complete the present phase of construction. Everyone agrees: it’s a beautiful structure on the outside; it’s even more beautiful on the inside. Everyone who goes in, even in its unfinished state, says “wow.” We cannot wait for the day when the Cathedral is completed, paid for, and filled with God’s people, singing hymns of praise to the One who makes all things possible.