“As long as I have been familiar with the chapel, there have been water issues,” said Sarita Herman, historic preservation team leader for Facilities Management. “The plaster has been heavily replaced over time. We don’t know how much of the plaster is original, but we do know that entire walls have had to be redone due to water intrusion. We will save as much as we can, especially if we can identify any original plaster, but we do have to channel for the new electrical wiring.”
The chapel’s lighting, dating from the 1950s renovation, will be replaced with new fixtures that will accommodate LED bulbs.
“We will also add LED strip lights to the top side of the beams in the ceilings,” said Sarita Herman, historic preservation project manager for Facilities Management. “That will add more ambient light toward the ceiling, softly increasing the light level in the chapel. It will also highlight the features of the architecture.”
The original oak pews will be removed, refurbished and then reinstalled at the end of the project. Cork flooring, installed during the 1950s renovation, and the carpet, which was replaced more recently, will be removed. The original pine flooring will be refinished and left exposed in parts of the chapel where carpet is not needed.
“We have not made exact decisions on the extent of the carpeting,” Herman said. “We need the carpet for acoustical control, so we will be replacing the carpet in the aisles and on the chancel floor.”