MUT Rest & Retreat Center Campus
Phase II Conceptual Design of campus facilities
eMi² Project 8127
September 12-16, 2007
See project location on Google Earth

Project status updates

January 26, 2012
The Assisted Living building comes into shape at MUT-Oddanchatram. The campus continues to grow both organically & with structures. MUT-ODC is looking greener & greener with each passing season. The Assisted Living building is the last major facility planned for the campus and will accommodate those with special mobility needs while they are cared for by the nearby hospital. Permanent retirees may also be accommodated in the building, until the campus expands further. Several other renovations & the completion of the Multi-Purpose Hall are winding up soon also.
– MJC

October 3, 2011
Our project team popped down to MUT-ODC for a few days last month to have a look at progress on the campus. The second wing of the Multi-Purpose Hall is almost finished and the Assisted Living building is being laid out, marking the last major development for the central part of the MUT campus in ODC, Tamil Nadu. So the end is in sight for MUT as they work toward a campus development halting point which will facilitate the growth of the ministry for the next 5-10 years as awareness continues to grow about the facility available for care & programs such as the three-day marriage enrichment seminar which was underway while our team was on the site. Water supply remains a chief concern and a number of steps are planned to increase the amount of freshwater available to the campus in the dry season, now that rainwater can be used for the campus in the monsoon. A major improvement over the last 6-months is the drip-style irrigation lines which have made keeping the plants and trees alive a very simple task, while also cutting down on use of the scarce water resources.
– MJC

July 7, 2011
Progress continues at MUT for the second wing of the Multi-Purpose Hall, but not fast enough to keep up with the needs of the seminars and training camps held on the site. The structure and walls are in place and finishes are being completed for the building. JJ asked for prayer that the work would continue to go forward smoothly and that the facility will be usable for upcoming ministry retreat events at the MUT campus. We're planning another visit to MUT in September.
Photo 1  Photo 2  Photo 3
-MJC

May 23, 2011
Photos of the 2nd wing of the Multi-Purpose Hall under construction JJ recently sent me. He has recently had a serious health problem and will be undergoing surgery in a short while. Pray for his speedy recovery. It's been a challenging season for MUT.
Photo 1  Photo 2  Photo 3
-MJC

March 13-16, 2011
Another site visit to the growing campus. The south wing of the Multi-Purpose Hall construction has started and the plans for the Assisted-Living building in the campus center are finalized, marked out on the site. The trees we planted in September are getting ready for the main dry season after a good start over last monsoon. We did some survey this time also to update the 2007 survey and to have a better look at the grades for drainage in the areas between the buildings. We also had a closer look at the huge open well in the rear this time also, having pumped it dry and rigging a ladder to descend the 30' or so. This was to have a better idea of the soil strata / infiltration rates as well as getting a more accurate idea of the volume. Placing the submersible pump down in the center of the well was a job for about 8 people in a kind of tug-of-war episode with the pump in the center of the ropes.
Looking at Stephen & Raja Rao inside the well
Lowering the Pump
MUT Campus, March 2011
-MJC

November 22, 2010
Heavy rains this month caused some ponding on the site but the trench and open well diverted the majority of the water. These two pictures are of the same well – dry in September 2010, full to overflowing in November 2010.
Photo of the well
Nick and Matthew observe the now dry open well, Sept 2010

Next, options to further clear off drainage problems caused by direct rainfall within the site need to be investigated. From MUT:

"Your compulsion made us provide the trench and that is really working well. The sump and the rain water harvesting also has richly helped us. However the water logging because of the rain water pouring inside the campus is still a problem. We need to find a way out."
-MJC

September 2010
Two interns, a volunteer, and I visited MUT-ODC for 3 days to check up on construction progress, discuss civil issues, review next development steps on the ODC site, and begin planning & design for a new rest house in northeast Tamil Nadu. Many trees have been planted around the site, and the campus is slowly becoming a green paradise. The storm water trench is fully dug and is being lined with stone to prevent erosion during upcoming rainy season. The new Resource Person Cottage has been completed and will soon be painted, as will the new Single Room Unit block. Next up for construction are the Assisted Living buildings and the final wing of the Multi-Purpose Hall.
-MJC
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5

July, 2010
In late January, one of the client's family members was in an accident which required them to move away from the MUT-ODC site. Further construction work on the campus has generally ceased for this period. They plan to be back full time at MUT by August. We will be visiting the site in late September to review overall progress for the different aspects of campus development.
-MJC

November 08, 2009
Received the photos from MUT from a work team which came to the ODC campus to beautify the landscaping. It seems that MUT at ODC will be like a paradise after a few years...
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
-MJC

17-21 September, 2009
An intern (Pavan) and I visited MUT this past week to review progress and review the next development steps. The second half of the Multi-Purpose hall will be the next construction project once the current buildings and civil site work are finished. The project faces many challenges and pressures, but the progress over these 4 years is good nevertheless and many people have been able to come and avail of the facility for rest and training.

Residential building group
The nearly completed Resource Center
-MJC

10-Aug-2009
From MUT:
"Thanks giving prayer on 9th Aug at ODC:
3 Blocks were dedicated yesterday. 60 Friends of MUT from ODC and Madurai attended the same. We had the Thanks giving service led by P-, followed by dedication of the three blocks. The Library hall and the Audio/Video halls at the Resource centre were declared open by Dr.K- after the dedication prayers offered by Dr.K-. Then the two blocks of single room units were declared open by cutting of ribbons by Mr.D-, Abu Dhabi after the prayers by Dr.Mrs.C- and Mr. J-. Then 12 Friends of MUT from Madurai, Vellore and ODC went to each room of the 12 rooms simultaneously and offered prayers along with a small group of members present at the function.

Many of them remembered how God has changed this barren land just 5 years ago into a dwelling place of His Children building His Kingdom. Praise Be to God.

Many of you have not yet visited. Some visited the site when there were no buildings and activities. I extend invitation to each one of you to pay a visit, see how God is enabling MUT to set up a service station for His workers to be cared, served and assisted to get physical, emotional and spiritual healing in this Campus. Thanks once again for all your support."
-MJC

27-May-2009
From MUT:
"We were leveling the bottom of the trench on Thursday evening when there was a huge storm, which has acted as a good test run. It seems that the trench - as it was dug by the JCB - already has a sufficient slope to drain correctly. It was also encouraging that without a hard lining, there seems to have been minimal erosion...

"We partially broke through near the well on Monday (i.e. we only dug down maybe 2 feet whereas the trench is 3 feet deep). The water gushed out and half-filled the well but over the next few days the level has dramatically decreased, which suggests that there is significant seepage down to the river.

"I've included photos I took a few days ago of the trench half-full. We have decided not to fully drain it at present because if the water goes into the well it will just drain away whereas currently it's watering the trees..."

Rainwater diversion trench at rear of MP Hall
Rainwater diversion trench looking downfield toward open well
-MJC

30-May-2009
The Detailed Design plans for Phase II, part 2 were completed and published.
-MJC

20-Feb-2009
An intern (Matt) and I visited MUT for a few days this last week to check progress on the Phase II, p.1 structures and to review the latest designs for Phase II, p.2 work to prepare for detailed design. The dormitory and chapel will go for Detailed Design, targeting construction for late 2009. We also checked through all site work issues. Some of the immediate issues:

Water Supply:
1. [Immediate]   The Reverse Osmosis unit should be relocated to the rooftop of the existing Resource person's building. A 1000L water tank should be used to store the RO treated water. The 1000L tank should have a float valve with an electrical cutoff similar to above. The RO unit should have a master power on-off switch. From the 1000L tank, an outlet should be provided up to the Multi-Purpose Hall. The outlet line should have three branches: a. one branch into the Multi-Purpose Hall at a convenient place for public use of RO water, b. one branch into the Kitchen for use of RO water for cooking, c. one branch to the roof of the Kitchen for an inlet into a solar water heating unit. [A sketch of this was provided at the time on the site.]

Rain Water Harvesting:
1. [Immediate]   The trench on the west side of the property needs to be constructed immediately. This trench will collect rainwater from the roofs of buildings & rainwater draining into the property from lands further to the west. The trench will direct rainwater to the open well at the rear of the property. The length of the trench is around 1000' and the bottom of the trench needs to slope down 6" every 100' feet. It should be started from the south-west corner of the site where the bottom of the trench should be 2' below the current ground level. Roof drains from buildings which are near to the west side of the property should be directed into this trench.

Blackwater:
1. [Immediate]   The pit near the Multi-Purpose Hall should be cleaned out to the hard stone depth, and then refilled with broken stone / broken brick, etc. An 4" outlet pipe from the nearby septic tank should be directed to the pit near the top level. The pit should then be covered over with old cement bags, etc. to prevent soil from settling into the pit and then it can be covered over with soil.

Resource Center (Phase II) with MP Hall in background
Single unit building (Phase II) under construction
-MJC

Dec - 2008
Conceptual Landscape Plans were issued to the clients.
-IN

28-29 Oct-2008 Ivy and Landscape Architect Intern, Breanna, visited the site to discuss the landscape design.

Progress: 1st phase of the multi-purpose hall was completed and in use.

The following issues were discussed regarding the civil work:

• The client was concerned about ponding happening on site. eMi² previous recommendation of constructing a trench along the West side of the property to divert rainwater and grey water to the open well was discussed. However, the client was considering using the open well for drinking purposes because the water from the bored well is too 'hard'.
• The Reverse Osmosis has been installed because the water from the bored well was too 'hard'. However, the unit generates a lot of waste water which should be handled probably.

• Nobody seems to have a hard copy of the Phase II drawings. May need to send additional copies via mail/email.
• Civil work near the MP Hall seems as though it's based off of old drawings. Location and size may need to be looked at. We did a infiltration test for the large pit near the MP hall to attempt to identify a perc. rate.
• Due to very strong winds, the brackets that hold the windows open are breaking off.
• In the single unit rooms, bug screens have been added to the interior side of the windows. This is a great addition.
• Phase II building corners are all located. One marker is on top of a pile of rocks and a second is buried under 10' of brush (you can't even see the marker now), but all other points are in position.
• The client mentioned that his brother would be coming to the MUT campus to help design a landscape plan for the campus. He asked if we might have any landscape recommendations around the site entry that could be started before a formalized landscape plan was completed.