from what ive found (and im doing it my self now) you dont need to get a closed deck block unless you're building a full on race car...
get another STI block, bore it, hone it, then get pistons to sute, use factory rods and crank, im using forged JE postons and race bearings, if youve run a bearing you NEED to replace the oil cooler as there is no way of garenteeing you have all the shards of metal out of it. with a few other bits ane pieces its costing me around 8K.
all my info comes from Bruce Saxton, he use to build engines for Possum Bourne so personally i take this info on good authority, people will tell you different and thats their progitive (spelling).
MY2C