Scaffolding was erected in this area on Tuesday, November 25 to allow the structural engineer and contractors safe, working access to this ceiling area. Contractors prepared the area for work by placing plywood on the scaffolding deck and installing plastic sheeting to keep the dust confined to the work area. (Removing plaster and concrete is an extremely dusty process.)
On Tuesday (12/2), the structural engineer returned to conduct his assessment of the ceiling areas and mark those areas of plaster that needed to be removed. Again, this is done by sounding (or tapping the surface with a hammer) to determine the areas of plaster and possibly concrete that have separated from the structure. He marks these areas with chalk so that the contractor knows where to remove the plaster. The contractor then removed these sections revealing the condition of the concrete underneath.
On Wednesday (12/3), the structural engineer returned to sound the concrete that was underneath the plaster. He again marked areas of concrete that needed to be removed because they had separated from the concrete slab. The contractors removed these areas.
The good news is that the damage and deterioration was less severe than on the SOUTH side. However, there are still several areas that will require more extensive concrete repair than we had originally thought.
It was then determined that these concrete repairs are impossible to conduct until warmer weather (it is difficult and expensive to pour concrete in cold conditions) and until enough funds have been raised for the increased scope of these repairs. Our structural engineer recommended a temporary solution: to install plywood sheets on the entire ceiling surface. These plywood sheets would cover all the exposed area of plaster and concrete and are securely bolted to concrete roof structure. The sheets will then be painted to match the existing colors of the ceiling. The will still be noticeable but not nearly as noticeable as exposed areas of concrete and plaster.
These covering perform several safety and aesthetic functions:
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Prevent any remaining loose pieces of plaster and concrete from falling
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Prevent any new areas of separation that might develop from falling
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Ensure safety for all occupants of the sanctuary
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Provide an aesthetically pleasing look, although remaining noticeable
On Thursday (12/4), these plywood coverings were installed and painted.
On Friday (12/5), the scaffolding was dismantled and reassembled in the NORTH side of the sanctuary (the Public Library/Lake Street side). The process of this week will be repeated on the NORTH side between 12/8 and 12/12 and then on the EAST side between 12/15 and 12/19. All of the seats in the upper sanctuary will be open for Holiday services. #
