The Grace Church Roof Committee
Update: June 28, 2024
It has been some time since we have provided the congregation with an update on our roof project. As we have reported in the past, the current slate roof which was installed in 1980 is failing and needs to be replaced. The roof committee and our consultants have been working diligently behind the scenes and we are at a pivotal moment in the life of the project.
While we had tentatively hoped to complete construction this year, it became clear early in 2024 that we would not be able to adhere to that ambitious schedule. Due to the schedules of contractors, the extent of the pre-construction work and the predicted time between ordering and delivery of slate, we decided we needed to defer until 2025. We hope construction will begin construction in Spring 2025. In order to meet that schedule, several critical benchmarks still need to be reached.
Currently, detailed drawings and Requests for Proposals are being prepared by Dan Maki of Facilities Engineering Inc with input from GRAEF. Bachmann, Construction Manager, will oversee the bidding process, seeking at least two bids on Grace’s behalf for each of the following: scaffolding, masonry, slate roof installation, metal work and gutters. Wood-related work, which will be minimal, will not be bid out separately but completed by whomever does the masonry. Once bids are obtained and reviewed, Bachmann will prepare a guaranteed maximum price for the Vestry’s consideration, hopefully as early as its August meeting.
Other preliminary work has been happening, as well. At the recommendation of Fred Groth, General Manager, and Construction Manager, Bachmann Construction, Bachmann has hired Gilco, a scaffolding designer, to prepare plans for the scaffolding which will encompass much of the building and allow for safe and easy access to the roof. These scaffolding design plans will be provided to scaffolding companies to prepare bids for the actual scaffolding construction. Protection will be built for the vegetation in the courtyard and Karlen gardens and protection will be installed for the stained glass windows.
During these conversations, something of the process also became clear. Work will proceed in sections along each side of the nave, first to remove slate and decking as necessary, and then to make any repairs to the trusses and interior construction. This is the easiest and most efficient acce3ss for doing the interior repairs. At the same time, workers will repair damaged masonry and tuckpoint, as necessary. Gutters will be replaced, as well. The whole process should take several months.
The roof committee and the Vestry have selected the slate that will be installed: Vermont Clear Grey, a premium quality Vermont slate supplied from the same quarry by one of two companies, either North Country or Greenstone. The slate will meet the ASTM S1 standard, meaning it is expected to last 75+ years. The color is battleship gray. The mineral and chemical composition of natural slate contributes to a weathering process over time which causes a percentage of the slate (10 to 25%) to weather to tones of brown and buff, a perfect complement to our buff sandstone nave. Our choice was approved by the City Landmarks Commission this month (June 2024) and Grace has already received a certificate of appropriateness to proceed with the project. A sample of that slate will be available in the rear of the nave or Vilas Hall for people to see.
Just this week, final plans and bid documents were completed. Those documents are available for download for anyone interested.
Fundraising.
As we reported to the congregation last year, the Fund for Sacred Places did not approve our grant application in 2023 but encouraged us to reapply in 2024. We submitted another Letter of Interest in February, 2024 but received word in June that we were not selected to apply for the full grant. We were not surprised by this because we are much further along in planning than the funders would have wanted us to be. We had put our fundraising on hold because of the stipulations of the matching grant. Now we are free to move forward aggressively to seek support from the congregation and wider community. We have already begun soliciting donations and hope to receive word of a significant grant from another foundation in the next month or so. We are fortunate to have the Grace Episcopal Church Foundation to supplement whatever funds we raise from the congregation and community. The Foundation has already paid for the pre-construction costs that have been incurred.
Our goal is to install a roof system that will protect Grace Church for the next 80-100 years, ensuring that it will remain a symbol of God’s love on Capitol Square for decades to come.
Members of the Roof Committee: Jonathan Grieser, Rector; Chair: Deb Anken-Dyer, Amy Robinson, Sr. Warden, Fred Groth, Joe Bartol, Jane Hamblen, Suzy Buenger
Image (c) 2023, Eric Tadsen