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1950 |
The annual report of the Diocesan Executive Committee informs that on April 14, Messrs. Haik Kavookjian and Dadour Dadourian co-hosted a dinner at which $40,000 was raised for the project. A house-to-house solicitation will be launched. Bishop Nersoyan is involved in the architectural planning. |
| 1951 | Bishop Nersoyan states in his address to the Diocesan Assembly (Worcester, MA, October 7-8): "In New York dedicated persons continue their hard work. Yet it is absolutely necessary that communities other than New York also contribute. From these $300,000 should be raised." |
| 1952 |
The Cathedral Project Committee publishes the list of contributors for the period 1943-August 31, 1951. Receipts have reached $370,209.75; the property acquired has cost $259,000. At a $50-a-plate banquet in New York, Archbishop Nersoyan urges all adult Armenians to contribute money for the Cathedral and Community Center Project to set an example to the younger generation, who in their time will come forth having learned to give money to the Armenian community. The Primate reports that the property's size is about 22,000 square feet: "Each square foot has cost us $20. It is not our intention to build a monastery away from the city. We could not wish for a better site at this cost." |
| 1953 |
In June, copies of a special prayer for the Cathedral Building Project, composed by Archbishop Nersoyan, are distributed among Armenian families throughout the Diocese via the parish councils of each local church. In November, Archbishop Nersoyan reports to the Diocesan Assembly (West Philadelphia, PA, October 10-11) that "even though [total fundraising] is half completed, the raising of half-a-million dollars for the Cathedral and Community Center Project is a significant achievement." |
| 1954 | Fr. Torkom Manoogian, formerly pastor of the Holy Trinity Church of North Philadelphia, is appointed Executive Director of the Cathedral and Cultural Center Project as of January 1. |
| 1955 |
In February, Archbishop Mampre Calfayan, elected Primate of the Diocese following the April 28, 1954 resignation of Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, takes part in the signing of the contract with the architectural firm for the first phase of the construction. In May, the "Buy a Brick" prize-winning campaign is launched; 150,000 tickets are issued at $1 per ticket. In June, Fr. Torkom Manoogian leaves the United States and returns to Jerusalem. Mr. Haik Kavookjian, Treasurer of the Cathedral Project, assumes the position of campaign director. Mr. Kavookjian urges that each member of an Armenian family within the Diocese should contribute $25 for the next two years |
| 1956 |
On February 11, the drawing for the "Buy a Brick" raffle takes place in New York. Names of prize winners are published in the Diocesan monthly. Two pieces of good news are received by Campaign Treasurer Haik Kavookjian: first, brothers Sarkis and Hovhannes Diarbekirian have assumed the entire cost of the construction of the diocesan headquarters, in memory of their parents; second, the building of the Cultural Center adjacent to the Diocesan House will be assumed by the Gullabi Gulbenkian Foundation in memory of Gullabi Gulbenkian. These announcements are made in an editorial in the July Hayastanyaitz Yegeghetzi. |
| 1958 | In April, demolition of the site begins. The Diocesan Office operations are temporarily moved to the facilities of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, located on 35th Street, around the corner from the construction site. |
| 1959 |
On January 24, Archbishop Sion Manoogian, the new Primate of the Diocese, is joined by former Primate Archbishop Calfayan, in blessing the cornerstones of the Diocesan Center. In November, the first unit of the Cathedral complex--the Diocesan House--is completed. The brand new office of the Primate, Archbishop Sion Manoogian, is on the second level of the three-story building, and the Primate's residence is on the third level. |