Constructin Update NOvember 13, 2013

Update - November 13, 2013

Rev. Dr. Barry Cass

We continue to see progress around the Meeting House site.  The grading and paving of the driveway has been completed; the sidewalk is in place and the Main Entrance should be in full use in the next few days.  There is also grading being done on the west side of the building and in the front. 

You have probably noticed that the pillars are all in place and the siding and trim work is nearly complete.  The joints where the pillars were put together will be finished and primed this fall but it looks like the final painting will not take place until the spring.   There have been a lot of comments about how great it is to see the steeple as you drive into town from pretty much any direction.  Although it is new, it is so much like the previous steeple that it feels comforting and welcoming.  This is probably a good place to repeat that the steeple design is the original and that there was never any other kind of steeple or spire on top of the building.  This style of church and steeple was pretty popular through this part of Connecticut at the time the third Meeting House was built (1842).  At one point in our history there was a pole that almost looked like a flag pool on top of the steeple, but never anything more than that. 

The sanctuary windows are all in place and the trim work has been completed on the main level.  The trim work is being finished on the balcony level this week.  There remains work to be done on the front of the balcony which is delayed until the ceiling adjustment is done.  Scaffold is currently preventing access to the front of the balcony, which also means the installation of the balustrade will not be finished until after the new ceiling is in place.  The balustrades will include spindles at the top preventing people and objects from falling onto the congregation below. 

All of the equipment is installed in the kitchen and it has a preliminary review by health officials.  There will be further inspections once other items are in place and we are ready to use the kitchen.  A team has been working to get together all the dishes, pots and pans, and cooking utensils that need to be replaced to bring the kitchen back to the workable space we had before the fire.  It looks like improvements such as an enhanced dishwasher, better dish storage space, an improved walk-in cooler and the convection oven are going to make the kitchen easier to work in and a real pleasure for the workers.

Work has been pretty much completed in the Foundation Room, with the flooring to be installed.   The various closet doors have been painted and are ready to be hung. 

The Building Committee is continuing to work with the design team and the construction team to design and approve the new ceiling in the sanctuary.  Work is being coordinated with the acoustician and the organ company as well to be certain we have the best possible design and construction.  Good cooperation and communication continues between the various parties and progress will be made soon.  The ceiling that was too low has been removed.

Members of the Building Committee are strongly committed to keeping the congregation abreast of our progress and so are hoping to set an informational meeting with all interested members and friends in the very near future.  Our website (www.somerscongregational.org) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SomersCongUCC) continue to be great sources of information.