Granite Temple News

Granite Temple Excavation and Reinforcement Underway The Granite Temple project continues to move forward. In recent months we have reached several milestones.  As a condition of the construction permit, we had to take architectural drawings and convert them into structural engineering drawings. These are detailed drawings that require some time, effort and coordination to develop. They are also required in order to commence the project. This was done over the summer and final approvals for the project were secured in October of this year.  Construction is now underway. We are in the process of bringing over equipment, the [...]

Steady Progress in Granite Carving Work in India Temple devotee Sri Naveen Madhudi visited Sri Muthiah Sthapathi’s workshop in Devakottai in Tamil Nadu and met with his son M. Srinivasan Sthapathi and inspected the completed stone structures of the Ganapati Sannidhi. It was assembled using shims and will be disassembled prior to shipment to Rush, NY. Prior to disassembly; punch markings will be made to facilitate the realignment of all stone blocks at the temple construction site in Rush, NY.  The finish, accuracy of stone cutting, and details are spectacular! The dome was assembled but kept separately due [...]

Construction Progress Update - Jan 2022 The preparation of the site was completed late last year.  On Nov 17, 2021, the old access road to the temple from East River Road was replaced with a new road that follows the site plan.  Phase I temple construction is now scheduled for 2022 due to Covid-related delays in granite work happening in India.  As mentioned earlier, we plan to bid the construction package out to at least 3 pre-qualified construction contractors in February. The relocation & re-installation of the parking lot/exterior lighting poles will be executed by a reputed local [...]

Construction Progress Update - Aug 2021 The temple house foundation removal, fill and compaction has been completed under the supervision of Sickles Corp.  The excavation for the water bodies to the south of the temple has also been completed. A new kind of Deer(e) can be spotted on the temple grounds :). We have received drawings of Foundation and Structural from Ashok and are currently under our team review. Then, we plan to bid the package out to at least 3 pre-qualified construction contractors. The relocation & re-installation of the parking lot / exterior lighting poles will be [...]

Old Temple House Removed On the morning of July 27th, 2021, the “temple house” as it is popularly known was moved off of the property to make way for construction. It was taken away by an interested party at no fee & no-cost basis for us. This house came with the Rush property when it was first purchased in <>.  It has many memories associated with it and has over the years served variously as volunteer accommodation, infirmary during the Vibhuti Saivaite Immersion camps, accommodation for esteemed guests such as Shri Amma, and storage space for murtis and [...]

Site Work Progress After mobilizing on-site and installing the NYS-required elements, the contractor has stripped the entire site of topsoil, cut and filled the building pad to -18”, constructed to sub-grade the new driveway, and is approximately 75% complete on the storm basin construction.  No construction has been completed on the perimeter drainage or storm drainage system.  All utilities to the existing house have been disconnected and the house needs to be emptied to ready for demolition.  The existing lights and poles have been removed in preparation for relocation and we are preparing an estimate for that work.  [...]

Site work begins!

Site Preparation Bid Awarded We have received bids for the site work. The contract was awarded to Sickles Corporation site preparation started on June 5, 2021.  The site preparation work entails leveling the Rajagopuram - Granite Temple Site and creating water channels for the runoff water. Temporary ponds will be dug in the surrounding area to create catches.  We have also put out a tender to receive bids for the next phase of the construction, the foundation work.  To save money in the long term and have more functional space in the larger temple basement, the Rajagopuram construction [...]

Vanaspati Shanti Puja and Tree Removal As previously announced, our project team has been busy getting the site prepared for construction.  The first step unfortunately entailed the removal of 32 trees at the project site. This was completed on May 24th.  The previous day (May 23rd), puja was offered to Vanadurga Devi, the goddess of forests.  Panchopachara Shanthi puja was offered to each tree to thank them for their role in this project on May 23rd.  We plan to plant four fruit trees to make up for every tree that we have lost. [...]