Published in the September 2018 issue of ParishLife.

For quite some time, St. Paul’s Vestry has been working with the Buildings and Grounds Committee to inventory and prioritize needs related to our buildings and campus, particularly our building at 875 West Fifth Street, the 1928 church building and Dalton Memorial Garden.

875 West Fifth Street

In late 2016, St. Paul’s purchased property at 875 West Fifth Street with the aim of transforming the classic mid-century modern office building into bigger, better accommodations for ReadWS, Kids’ Café, the Backpack Program and much more. While the parish engaged in discerning additional ways the space could serve the church and the community, interior demolition and asbestos removal proceeded. Once the space was cleared and needs were determined, parishioner and architect Larry Robbs set to work drawing plans. Illustrations of his interior designs are shown above.

“As a member of St. Paul’s, I find it very exciting to work on a project that will serve the church and further community outreach far beyond what we’ve been able to do in our previous spaces,” said Larry. “Based on a collaborative approach to programming, we’ve created flexible spaces that can be used for classes or meetings or any number of activities and ministries. The design is done, and the building is going to be great!”

The 1928 Building

Across Summit Street, St. Paul’s 1928 building has in recent months been the focus of intensive diagnostic work by teams of experts in historic building and stained glass restoration and preservation. Parishioner Joe Oppermann is lending his expertise as a restoration architect and helping guide the project.

“At 90 years old, our building has been showing signs of some increasingly serious issues—particularly with water leaking in. As a result of the diagnostic work done last spring, we know precisely what the issues are and can now plan how best to deal with them.”

As the above photographs show, consultants documented numerous leaks, deteriorating mortar, rusting window frames and cracked and stained stones. “This is a landmark building of exceptional design, superior materials and outstanding craftsmanship,” said Joe. “The work proposed will make it weather-tight for future generations.”

Our Sacred Spaces

“As we’re working through this process and planning our strategic investments, we’re discovering once-in-a-generation opportunities for renewal of our facilities, our outreach programs and our commitment to Christ,” said Senior Warden Allan Burrows. “It’s an exciting time to be part of St. Paul’s.”

“St. Paul’s is truly blessed with historically significant architectural gems on both sides of Summit Street,” said the Rev. D. Dixon Kinser, Rector. “In the coming months, as we learn more about these projects, our commitment to good stewardship of both of these iconic buildings will inevitably grow. We look forward to renewing these sacred spaces to serve our parish and our community now and for generations to come.”