Capital campaign update, Winter 2010

Submitted by Robert Hyde, Director of Properties

Capital campaign projects continued on a smaller scale during the third quarter of 2010 as the overall work begins to draw to a conclusion.  In the third quarter, we performed a number of exterior stone works repairs, including repairs to the Lane Cloister and the Cathedral House Basement windows.   When added to the TMB spire repairs done earlier this year, the total cost of stonework and related repairs has exceeded $63,500.  The result is that most exterior stonework problems have been addressed, leaving our facility shell (stonework plus roofs) generally in quite satisfactory condition.  The two exceptions are:  replacement of the TMB window frames and repairs to the remaining Cathedral House windows and, secondly, repairs to the perimeter retaining walls, the latter being primarily cosmetic.

A few comments on our stone work repairs.  In general, our approach is always to restore the material to its original condition.  With the quarried limestone, this translates to ensuring that mortar joints are in good condition, as the limestone itself (essentially a 6-inch façade over other materials) is in excellent shape.  (In the case of the Cathedral, the limestone course is about 6 inches in depth but it is backed by three courses of red brick for a total depth of about 18 inches.) In general we have experienced few problems with our limestone, and such instances are caused by other sources like problematic drains.

However, with terra cotta surfaces as we have in on some areas of the Cathedral and the Taliaferro Memorial Building or cast stone products on the cloisters, the approach becomes more complex.  To date, I have not learned of a terra cotta patching material that results in the original look, and so where necessary we do employ a coating system that somewhat simulates terra cota while providing further protection to the remaining material.  As the now chalky coating system applied in 1983 to the Cathedral attests, coating systems can be dicey propositions.  Nonetheless, I’ve been told that such systems have advanced significantly since then, and we should not anticipate a reprise of that problem with the current coating applications.  If you would to get a more in-depth review of this problem, I would refer you to the informative discussion of the preservation of glazed terra cotta in National Park Service Preservation Brief 7.)

Capital Campaign Financial Report

As of September 30, 2010, expenses for projects and other commitments have totaled $3,995,984.99, which includes the contribution from the Plummer Foundation used to pay the debt on The Cathedral School building.  The available funds as of that date equal $51,573.59.  Total parishioner contributions (including interest on those contributions) from inception through September 30, 2010, are $3,358,481.58.  These funds place parishioner contributions close to 84 percent of what pledged in 2005.

The details of the expenditures appear here: Capital Campaign Table. If you have any questions about capital campaign work or other topics, please e-mail me or leave a phone message at 632-9104, ex. 21.