Customer Testimonial
2005 Excellence in Construction Award Winner
Date of Completion: June 2005
St Peter’s Union Church building Project includes an 8000 sf, three story addition along with renovations to the existing building and Nave.
This Project took nine months to complete. Most of the exterior structure was completed during the winter months. Interface with the Church’s needs was a high priority. Work was completed in phases so that the congregation would have the ability to utilize the building in the fullest extent possible. Special consideration was given to insure the safety and security of the Day School students.
St. Peter’s Nave is on the second floor. Before completing this addition the only access to this area required going up stairs. This excluded several of their elderly and handicapped members from attending services with the rest of the congregation. In the past these members were forced to remain in the first floor lobby where they could listen to the service over a PA system. The installation of an elevator has given all their member access to all levels of the Church and Fellowship Hall.
The elevator starts at the basement level. This level includes a new lobby that connects the existing Fellowship Hall with the new areas for storage, mechanical rooms as well as an area designated for a future kitchen.
At the first floor the elevator allows access to the existing classrooms, a new secretary’s office, a Pastor’s office and two new class rooms.
The Lobby and Parlor on this level were renovated to include a new vestibule that allows handicapped access from the parking area.
At the second floor the elevator allows access to the Chancel and Nave. This area was enlarged by removing the entire south wall and portions of the east and west walls of the building. New structural elements had to be installed along with the construction of the new addition to support the existing roof before the walls could be removed.
The existing structure is a Post and beam frame building. The new addition is constructed of structural steel studs.
Existing stained glass windows that were in the walls scheduled to be demolished were removed, refurbished and re-installed in the worship area.
A new Alter area and additional pews were added to fill the new space. During construction the building committee decided to delete a handicapped ramp to the alter area and replace it with a wheelchair lift. This was done to gain a better use of floor space.
All the existing pews had to be removed so that the new hardwood floors could be installed to match the existing. This work included refinishing the existing hardwood floors, new carpets in the isles and throughout the alter area as well as re-painting the entire worship area.
One of the greatest challenges to completing this area was extending the wood panel ceiling in the Nave from where it stopped to the new wall area. This wood panel ceiling is very ornate and includes arched panels at both sidewalls.
A new underground electrical service was installed from the pole along St. Peter’s Road.
HVAC systems were added to allow air conditioning in the worship area as well as the new offices and classrooms on the first floor.