Work in progress: Assembly Hall could be finished by year’s end (South Carolina)

[Brother_Bliss]

Work in progress: Assembly Hall could be finished by year’s end

A church-affiliated educational center is scheduled for completion by year’s end or early 2013.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ 3,000-seat Assembly Hall is under construction near the intersection of S.C. Highway 33 and Interstate 26.

The 58-acre parcel is near Gussy Drive and Assembly Hall Way, which serves as a frontage road to I-26.

Ground was broken in the third quarter of 2011 under a construction management arrangement with licensed contractors. Initial plans call for a $14 million, 65,000-square-foot facility with parking that will exceed zoning requirements.

The center will provide a location to educate the Jehovah’s Witnesses on Biblical principles in daily life. It will also be open to area residents.

Officials project there will be about 40 two-day events held at the center annually with an estimated total attendance of 160,000 visitors a year.

With each person spending an estimated $66 per day, there will be a total annual revenue of $52.8 million, project spokesperson Bill Sims said.

With a sales tax of 7 percent, the total annual sales tax collections will be about $3.7 million with the five-year total sales tax projected at $18.5 million.

The Orangeburg County Transportation Committee has helped upgrade the turning radius of S.C. 33 in an effort to accommodate the increased traffic.

The total project cost is about $1.2 million.

Article Source: The Times and Democrat

[jeanigal2]

Were you there Bob? We got home yesterday from the convention site. It is such a loving atmosphere to see Jehovah's people working together in harmony with each other. We were told an experience where a worldly man came to help i think it was with the concrete pouring, because of the machine he had. He was so impressed that he cried, and asked if he could come back the next day and work. My husband goes every weekend to work in the MEP dept. What dept do you work in if you go?

[Brother_Bliss]

No, I haven't been out of Ohio/Pennsylvania area for a few years. I was just reposting some news about our brothers that came across my news fetcher.

[Rosalie4u]

A lot of the brothers in our congregation have been going down this year helping to build it - and our congregations get assigned dates to provide food. The donations to help build it have really surprised the brothers - they wanted to be able to build it without being in debt. We will (of course) be assigned to this new Assembly Hall when it is finished!

[jeanigal2]

Have you been there Rosalie? It would be nice to meet you in person. If and when you go let me know and i will try to be there.

[Rosalie4u]

Only drove past it a couple times while they were grading. Seems blessings from Jehovah have made everything work so well on this construction site. Right now we go to the Assembly Hall in Salisbury, North Carolina (North of Charlotte about 45 minutes). I have heard about (and saw photos of) the beautiful Assembly Hall they built in Georgia! Years ago we had a circuit overseer that was named Bendenbaugh and he was from Arkansas - they went that way (Georgia) and before leaving for circuit work there they showed us photos and told us about it. About 6 years ago maybe? Did you have him as a circuit overseer? He was so down to earth, effacing of himself and yet so endearing. Never forget him nor his wife!

[jeanigal2]

we don't have an assembly hall where I live. We hope to get one though ( wishfull thoughts). We have been going to Gainesville fla for our circuit, Waycross Ga. For our district. We live in Lakeland Ga. Which is about 30 miles from the Fla line. We have never had that C.O. Our C.O. Is with us this week for the last time. They are the Larsons, and then they are going to Missippi.

[Rosalie4u]

We just had the Barnett's and they are going to Raleigh, North Carolina after our District Convention in Columbia, SC. My brother and his wife live in Daytona Beach, FL and my uncle lives in Silver Springs, FL and they go to an Assembly Hall in Daytona Beach. I drive down to visit with them every so often - I use I-26 and then I-95. Looking at the map, Lakeland is not too far from I-95. Maybe next time I can stop in and visit an hour or so? LOL

[Musky]

Here is a brother I know's blog about the building of this assembly hall:

http://www.mundys2sc.blogspot.com/

[jeanigal2]

We just had the Barnett's and they are going to Raleigh, North Carolina after our District Convention in Columbia, SC. My brother and his wife live in Daytona Beach, FL and my uncle lives in Silver Springs, FL and they go to an Assembly Hall in Daytona Beach. I drive down to visit with them every so often - I use I-26 and then I-95. Looking at the map, Lakeland is not too far from I-95. Maybe next time I can stop in and visit an hour or so? LOL

My daughter lives in Gainesville fla. and goes to Daytona Beach Assembly Hall. I go with her occationally. We were coming home from an assembly three years ago in May and were in Ft Mccoy Fla. when a Limo driver ran a stop sign and T-boned us. My daughter was driving and had 4 broken bones in her hip and pelvic bones. My granddaughter had a concussion and laseration on her face. I got bruised up. We knocked down the stop sign and almost knocked down a building that we hit. You may have heard about that wreck. My daughter no longer travels that route. If you are in the area please feel free to come by and visit. I will leave you my phone number in a pm. Hope to see you soon!

[jeanigal2]

Here is a brother I know's blog about the building of this assembly hall:

http://www.mundys2sc.blogspot.com/

Thanks Musky....that was nice!

[Rosalie4u]

Thanks Chuck!