The work on the exterior of the sanctuary is winding down and probably will be finished within the next couple of weeks.  Here are some highlights of a report that was written by Property director Art Halbardier, shared at the semi-annual congregational meeting today:

There have been remarkably few surprises throughout the project, which is pretty amazing considering the scope of work. Speaks well to the quality of the contractors that this is the case. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the large number of bricks that eventually needed replacing - a reminder of how much damage even small water leaks can cause.

But, all in all, it's been a pretty smooth process. Remaining is a lot of finishing up: "acid washing" to even out the colors, and touch up. The biggest element on the masonry side is installing a limestone and copper "cap" on the chimney - the chimney that had us all reaching for "hard hats" when we first saw the pictures.

 The stained glass window above the altar was finished this week. Because our request for more extensive work on the windows came so late in the season, it's unlikely all the windows will be repaired this Fall. The contractor was already committed to other projects. We have targeted a few windows in the worst shape in hopes they can be repaired yet this year, as many as weather allows. The remainder will be at the top of the list for early 2016.

A number of you have already made generous contributions toward this Restoration. Thank you. Those gifts can be used to pay the bills before we have to borrow.

If you are in a position to make a gift to Restoration 2015 this year, please do. It will be a big help in reducing the loan.

One more piece of work to report:  Our marvelous in-house masonry crew was hard at work today, removing an old dangerous sidewalk [leading to the 31st street entrance to the sanctuary, that has the ladder lying on it in the photo below] and preparing for a new safer one. Mark and Tim, of course, plus Ted Thompson, and moi. Tore out the old, prepared the base, hauled away the rubble. Crew is physically sore but still sound. 

Wine is definitely better than Advil, in my view. 

Thanks, Art!

The window crew, Jon and Jake, heading up in the cherry picker to work on the large chancel window.  It looks great!

From basement to roof, the renovations just keep on coming!

This week saw work being done on all the levels of the building, except the sub-basement (where the boiler is located).  In the Undercroft dining area, the old, cracked and ugly tiles were removed, and, behind sheets of heavy plastic, filters and air locks, the asbestos-laden mastic that held them in place was removed.  The new tiles have arrived, and today will see the arrival of the workers to begin putting them in place.  The pictures below show the undercroft floors in their original unadorned state.    

Many of you won't recognize this room.   It is under the narthex and used to be a stage that saw the performances of many plays and other entertainment.   When the balcony was extended to accommodate the organ in 1966, the stage area was  needed to house large steel beams to hold up the balcony extension.   What is left is this small room that has housed our tutoring program for many years.  The floor tile was removed last week.

On the main floor of the nave, Sexton William and his intrepid crew of volunteers stripped and refinished the floor of the nave.   This involved removing the pews and a lot of hard work to find the right process and materials to make the floors glisten.  It wasn't an easy job, and all involved deserve our thanks.

And the work continues out side the building as well.  It was fortuitous that Excel Energy was doing some work down the block on 31st Street, necessitating the closure of the street at Chicago Avenue.  This allowed the masonry and roof crew the opportunity to move the cherry-picker into the street without pulling a permit, and to work on the south side of the building.  The masonry work is winding down and the roof work is ramping up.  We've had good weather, and it looks like we're on track to be done with this phase of the work by the end of October.    In the meantime, much dust was generated, leaving our flower gardens looking like they'd had a light coat of snow.

More renovations! This time, it's the floors in the sanctuary and the undercroft dining room.

In addition to all the work going on outside the building, there are projects inside as well!   The floor in the sanctuary will be refinished this week, and these photos show the folks who chipped in yesterday to remove and move pews so that Sexton William and his crew can finish the work by next Sunday.  Thanks to Art and Elaine Halbardier, Mark Pipkorn, Dwight Penas, Chuck Reyer, Ted Thompson, John Holtmeier, David Molvik, Don Luther, Steve Manuel, Andrew Anderson, David Anderson and Randy Fritz for the elbow grease!

The floor in the undercroft dining room has needed attention for many years.  Thanks to a grant from the Mount Olive Foundation, we can now move forward with asbestos abatement, time removal and new tile installation.  Painting of the walls will follow for a welcome refreshing of the space.  Thanks to all the folks who helped move furniture and many other things out of the undercroft to make way for the asbestos abatement company.   That work will begin this week.  The new tile will have a color scheme similar to the upstairs hallways.    (The downstairs hallways will not receive new tile until a later date.)

And just as this blog went to press, the Mavo Systems crew showed up.   They will do the asbestos abatement work.  

Many thanks to Art Halbardier for doing the work needed to coordinate these projects.   Art is the Property Director on the Vestry.

A few additional shots from week 5.

Here are a few shots of this week's work.  Remember that you can click on each photo to enlarge it to see more detail.   By the way, thanks to generous donors who have given money to help us more quickly pay off the loan that we are taking out to pay for these repairs.   Your help is much appreciated!  If anyone would like to donate, simply note that the donation is for the Renovations 2015 fund, and drop it in the Sunday offering plate or take/mail it to the church office.    

The work being done around the south entrance that faces 31st street.  Some have asked about whether the old, faded banners will come down during this process.   Yes, they will.

The limestone-capped peak over the area of the nave that joins the north and south transepts to the main body of the nave.  The rounded peak windows on the left are the south chancel windows.   The small window in the center is at the top of the stairs going up to the south transept balcony.

A longer distance shot of the work on the south west corner of the building

Repairs along the kitchen windows in the alley.

The walls of the north (working) sacristy.  The work along the alley is coming along well.

Look at the almost-repaired chimney!  The decrepit metal band is still up there, but now it's not the only thing holding the chimney upright!   The bricks are all there and mortared into place as well!

Another view of the new copper flashing installed last week .

New copper flashing

Photos by Paul Nixdorf -
The roofing crew worked this week to install some new flashing.

I strolled around the building yesterday and spoke with Al, the site supervisor for the masonry company doing our work.  I took a few photos too, and have added some by Paul Nixdorf.  Al and his crew are working to match the new bricks to the old ones, something of a challenge in that one of the former brick colors is no longer made.  So you see a photo here of bricks lined up for color comparison.

Another twist:  Whereas the estimate of the number of bricks needed to repair the sign was 70,  the actual number was closer to 110.  That's because any damage to the back of the bricks cannot be seen until the work actually begins, and several bricks were cracked from the back and needed to be replaced as well.

Al has been doing this work for over 20 years.  He said that his next challenge was to figure out how to maneuver the "cherry picker" for the work on the main part of the south side of the building.   It is likely that the company will need to pull a permit to have the machine in the street for a while because it cannot get past the retaining wall around the yard.

Here are the photos:

The sign before bricks are inserted and mortared in place

Two views of the sign after brickwork is finished.   An acid wash is applied to help the new mortar blend in with the old.

Bricks lined up to match colors.

Working on the south transept peak on the 31st Street side of the building

Working at ground level

More ground level work.