Yesterday the scaffolding contractor came to install the scaffolding on the south side of the sanctuary. This is the area above the organ loft – where the organ pipes used to be located - and above the pulpit. Because of the structure of the organ pipe screen – the long vertical strips of wood you see above the pulpit – actual scaffolding was not needed. Instead, they used 10 aluminum beams to span the 22 feet between the columns. These beams were then decked with plywood to create a working surface. They also installed gaurdrails along the front edge for the safety of workers.
Inside the organ loft they installed steel posts to reinforce existing wood construction and installed additional decking to ensure a safe working surface.
Now there is a continuous work surface the entire span of the south ceiling area. This will allow our engineers and contractors to safely access the ceiling to accomplish their work.
On Thursday our engineer will be here to assess the ceiling by sounding for areas where the plaster has sepearated from the concrete and/or the underlying concrete has deteriorated. Our contractors will install dust protection and then begin removing the plaster identified by the engineer. n
