August 21st, 2019
The final sprint to the finish! We are thrilled to be putting the finishing touches on Theotokos Hall in preparation for full occupation on September 2nd when we’ll welcome 30 young men from across the country. Theotokos or “God-bearer” (named from the Greek title for Our Lady) will house all operations including our dormitory and Chapel for the 2019-2020 and will be the permanent hearth and home at St. Martin’s for decades to come. A few of the many features of Theotokos Hall:
- walls are constructed of 8″ thick white oak timbers sourced from the Ozarks of southern Missouri
- a 360 degree wrap-around deck with well over 1,000 square feet of finished outdoor space
- a massive wood-burning fireplace made with native stone
- beautiful white oak hardwood floors generously donated from Pennsylvania
- a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen generously donated from Kansas City
- large and numerous southern facing windows on all three stories to bring in maximum natural light while capitalizing on winter solar gains
And a few pictures:
May 30th, 2018
Thanks to the work of our tireless crew, Theotokos Hall has swiftly taken shape and the heavy-lifting (cranes and all) is done. What was an untamed brushy hillside a year ago now supports a magnificent 6,000+ sq. ft structure and the future hearth and home for generations of students. We now turn attention to our sprint to the finish line: decks, porches, doors, windows, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, finish carpentry, etc. It will be a busy summer in preparation for students on September 4th!
March 6th, 2018
The clutches of winter have relaxed their grip and with the break in weather our progress has been swift and dramatic. Kevin Klassen of Klassen Construction LLC is leading a crew of stout-hearted men in raising the rafters of Theotokos Hall. Most of our building materials are on site and the main floor’s walls of white oak logs are stacking up. Please view our photos below to check out the latest progress:
January 17th, 2018
In the Fall of 2017, we broke ground on our first and largest building at St. Martin’s Academy, Theotokos Hall. This blog post will document our progress with pictures, videos, interviews and stories from the field.
Check back often for updates and new entries. It’s going to be a busy 9 months in preparation for our opening on September 4th of 2018!
Meanwhile, this slideshow will bring you up to speed: