SANTA CLARITA, Oct. 31 – Church and construction officials hoisted ceremonial golden shovels and broke ground Monday on the next chapter of improvements to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Newhall.
Arriving at the current church parking lot in three classic cars – brought by local auto enthusiasts Dick Lagrasta, Dwight Emerson, Mike Morrison and Scott Harrison – Monsignor Richard Martini, Father Raymond Marquez and Father Fidelis Omeaku led prayers with an assembly of more than 100 students from the church’s Religious Education program. They were joined by Albert M. Giacomazzi, president of AMG & Associates, Inc., Father Donatus Ekanachi and parish intern Simeon Song.
“It’s appropriate to have these classic cars here today, because the parishioners at OLPH have been waiting a long time for much-needed extra parking,” Monsignor Martini said. Leading the students in a prayer, he said, “We don’t do this alone; we do it with God’s help.”
After prayers and remarks from Monsignor Martini and Giacomazzi, the group crossed the parking lot to break ground on the project site. Several dusty acres marked by rustic oak trees and several aging, soon-to-be-razed houses, the site will be transformed into a 164-space parking lot over the coming months.
“This is a huge step forward for the church, and I’m thrilled we can be a part of that,” Giacomazzi said. “The new parking lot will help alleviate crucial traffic and parking concerns, and move the church one step closer toward constructing a larger building to better serve its parishioners.”
Entailing earthwork, landscaping and installation of underground utilities, storm drains and irrigation systems, the construction is scheduled to be completed by March 1, in time for Easter. This project represents the next phase in the church’s expansion. Completion of the lot will also create the footprint for a new, main church building that, with space for seating 1,200, will be double the occupancy of the existing church building. Giacomazzi said the oak trees will be protected as part of the construction. After the groundbreaking, OLPH students took turns using garden shovels to fill five-gallon jugs with dirt from the project site, to be used in planters once the parking lot is finished.
This is AMG’s second project for OLPH, the first being the pastoral center that is located at the corner of Arcadia Street and Lyons Avenue.
About AMG & Associates, Inc.
AMG is a general contractor based in Santa Clarita, CA. The company has expertise in all aspects of construction, from conceptual design, estimating and job site management to occupancy. AMG is also an accredited LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) contractor. To learn more about AMG, please visit www.amgassociates.com.
ABOVE: Monsignor Richard Martini of Our Lady of Perpetual Help sits in a 1930s Ford “Woody” wagon owned by Scott Isaacson and driven by Mike Morrison, Oct. 29 before breaking ground on the church’s new parking lot.
ABOVE: Local car enthusiasts brought out (from left to right) a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1, 1930s Ford “Woody” wagon and 1977 Chevrolet Corvette for Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s Oct. 29 groundbreaking at the site of the church’s new parking lot. Shown are (from left to right): Father Raymond Marquez, Monsignor Richard Martini (in center vehicle) and Father Fidelis Omeaku.
ABOVE: Monsignor Richard Martini speaks outside Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Newhall, Oct. 29. Church officials broke ground on a new, 164-space parking lot for the church.
ABOVE: Monsignor Richard Martini leads a prayer with students from Our Lady of Perpetual help’s Religious Education program, Oct. 29 at the Newhall church.
ABOVE: Albert Giacomazzi, president of AMG & Associates, Inc., speaks prior to breaking ground Oct. 29 for Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s new parking lot. AMG plans to complete the project in early March.
(From right to left): Father Donatus Ekanachi, Father Fidelis Omeaku, Albert Giacomazzi of AMG & Associates, Inc., Monsignor Richard Martini, Father Raymond Marquez and parish intern Simeon Song hoist shovels Oct. 29 to break ground on a new, 164-space parking lot for Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Newhall. The project will also create a footprint for OLPH’s new, main church building.
(From right to left): Father Donatus Ekanachi, Father Fidelis Omeaku, Albert Giacomazzi of AMG & Associates, Inc., Monsignor Richard Martini, Father Raymond Marquez and parish intern Simeon Song hoist shovels Oct. 29 to break ground on a new, 164-space parking lot for Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Newhall. The project will also create a footprint for OLPH’s new, main church building.
ABOVE: After Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s Oct. 29 groundbreaking for its new parking lot, students from the church’s Religious Education program helped gather dirt to be used in planters once the parking lot is finished.
ABOVE: After Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s Oct. 29 groundbreaking for its new parking lot, students from the church’s Religious Education program helped gather dirt to be used in planters once the parking lot is finished.
