The Mount
Airy Church of God in Christ represents the largest and most
complicated project ever managed by Jonathan
R. Distel. This 80,000-square-foot Church complex was
built on a 4-acre location and incorporated the original orphanage.
Initially, extensive site development
was required, followed by underpinning the orphanage's existing
foundation so it could accommodate the massive new structure
that would be against it. The layout and geometry of the new
building were incredibly complex. The construction called
for a steel and concrete structure, an exterior insulated
finished wall system with cultured stone at the first floor
level, and a standing-seam metal roof. The interior required
complete mechanical systems and a sloped floor with wrap-around
balcony to accommodate seating for 3,000 members of the congregation.
To successfully
manage any project of this magnitude,
free and open lines of communication
with the many parties involved are
mandatory. Jon dealt with each and
every church decision-maker, architect,
and contractor personally. He also
held weekly meetings to outline specific
expectations and scheduling for every
aspect of the project. By remaining
accessible to all the parties and
receptive to their needs and concerns,
Jon was able to maintain a smooth,
productive workflow throughout the
2-year-long project.
Things moved
along so seamlessly that Jon was able
to overlap tasks and make up time
during different phases of the operation.
In addition, he kept very detailed
documentation of every aspect of the
construction. Whenever an unexpected
circumstance or a need for a change
in plans arose, he recorded it in
detail and was able to quickly address
and work through the situation with
the building's owners and the architects.
With all his priorities in order
— communication, scheduling, organization, and documentation
— Jon was able to complete tasks accurately and solve
problems swiftly. All phases of the project fell into place
precisely and the building was finished ahead of schedule.
But most important, Jon's approach helped make an operation
of enormous scale run as smoothly as possible for all involved.
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