By Eddie Burch GREER CITIZEN City leaders last night issued a stop work order on renovations to Greer’s civic auditorium. Citing a lack of activity and expired construction permits, city council instructed Codes Administrator Phil Rhoads to halt efforts of Rev. Kathy Sandlin to convert the long abandoned Snow St. building into the International Cathedral of Prayer. Rhoads told council, “This job we really don’t have to shut down. It’s already shut down.” Rev. Sandlin in June of 2003 won the opportunity to lease the facility and grounds when council took project proposals for the property. Five proposals were offered but only two groups made formal presentations to council. The winning proposal called for converting the building to a cross-denominational center for 24-hour prayer offering ministries, religious programming, and a Bible College. To date, Rev. Sandlin, her husband Frank and numerous other volunteers have cleaned the property grounds, gutted the building, and framed offices and classrooms. The building still needs installation of drywall, an HVAC system, fixtures, and new windows and doors. Despite the delays, a lengthy project punch list, and now a stop work order, Rev. Sandlin remains optimistic. “I know it has taken longer than anyone would like but like I have said from the beginning, this is a project of faith,” Rev. Sandlin said. “We are not giving up on it.” Rhoads said the last inspection of the building was in March of last year. “Nothing has been done since that time. The only reason I know is that I looked through the broken windows. This September it will be almost a year since the permits have expired.” Councilman Jay Arrowood pointed out that allowing the project to drag beyond original contract agreements could set a precedent that might haunt council in future situations. “We were given an assurance that by now the project would be complete,” Arrowood explained. “It is not and it is way behind. There are other uses for that property.” City Administrator Ed Driggers said the city must consider that the building is continuing to deteriorate and there are liabilities because the city insures the structure though it is not the tenant. “A real concern is do we allow these folks to continue to put resources into the building at whatever pace if there is any requirement on our part that we have to call the lease for non-compliance,” he added. “We don’t want them to put money into the project if they are not going to be able to complete the project.” To date, Rev. Sandlin says about $175,000 has been raised for the project and another $175,000 is needed. Part of the delay according to Rev. Sandlin is the loss of a key project donor, a firm in North Carolina that was to provide the HVAC system but has since gone out of business. “We have not deliberately stopped work,” she stressed. “We are trying to get the best estimates we can now and that is taking some time.” Rev. Sandlin truly believes that completion of the renovations is within grasp and will come quickly if the community will rally behind her. “If the businesses and churches will get behind us I don’t think we will have much problem getting finished,” she stressed. The Cathedral of Prayer is not a church. It is a facility that will be open for all denominations to use for prayer, participating in its programs, and even churches wanting to host activities these. For these reasons, Rev. Sandlin says churches should not feel that her project is competing against them. “We are still forging ahead. This is for our city as well as our nation,” Rev. Sandlin concludes. The stop work order will apply until all permits are reissued for the project. Fees for new permits will be based on the estimated cost to complete construction.