|
Willard Memorial Chapel Completes Long-Term Projects
Willard Memorial Chapel Director, Kathy Walker, provides an update on the
Chapel's restoration and interior upgrades.
To date, ten out of the fourteen nave (east and west side) Tiffany stained glass windows have been restored, with the remainder to be completed by mid 2008. New protective
covering has also been installed on all these windows to prevent future vandalism and damage. The "Rose Window" behind the pulpit, located at the Chapel's northern end
and "Christ Sustaining Peter on the Water Window" on southern end has also
been fully restored.
A company named Durr Stained Glass Studios was awarded the window
restoration bid; and all of the work was performed using specifications that
were approved by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation.
The total repair costs for all of this work was approximately $185,000 and
those funds were obtained through grants and individual donations.
Another project we embarked on and finished was the restoration of the Community
Preservation Committee Offices and the adjoining Archive/Library room. This job included returning the space to the way it was when the Auburn Theological Seminary
was in residence. We removed the faux ceiling, exposing the original windows, and once full-sized walls were shortened and reconfigured to take advantage of all of the new natural light coming in. Finally all the rooms were painted very attractive, soothing colors that compliment the authenticity of the Chapel’s era.
The Chapel's Community Room is the next project underway, with the restoration of the ceiling to its original height and the re-installation of the original leaded windows. We anticipate this job to be completed by June of 2008. In addition, new lighting will be installed, the floor will be refinished and new furniture will be secured.
For those interested in learning more details, on Sunday June 1st from 2 -
4PM Gerry Durr from Durr Studios will discuss the restoration of our Tiffany
windows, as well as led a general discussion of stained glass restoration.
The Chapel is located at 17 Nelson Street.
www.willardchapel.org
|
