It’s been a few weeks since our last report, and, boy, has there been progress! Those of you who have taken advantage of a few recent opportunities to take a peak into the chapel (such as after Worship some Sundays) have walked away feeling the same excitement that your Ripley Chapel Working Group has been feeling lately. We are racing to the goal of substantial completion by the middle of October, just in time for our Celebration and Re-dedication of Ripley Chapel on Friday, October 18, 2019 at 7:30 PM.

Substantial completion means that almost everything will be completed and, most importantly, we can begin using the space. The things that will not be completed will be the new Chapel door (due by the end of October), the new Ripley Entrance door (due in November) and perhaps a few items on the inevitable punch list that one always has at the end of any project.

This week the new oak trim was installed. This modest feature consists of rails that run at the level of the window sills along the walls and vertical elements that run down to the baseboard. The horizontal edge of the trim is a picture rail which can be used to hang art for shows we might hold in the chapel. Or even contributions from the kids and youth for a service of their own design. While the trim is modest in one way the effect is monumental in that it is transformative and creates a warmth and a connecting of all the corners (literally) of the room. Closet doors and a radiator enclosure in the chancel was delivered made of the same oak wood and will tie in the chancel to the whole. Those items will be installed in the next few days.

The new railings for the steps to the chancel have been installed.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the floor work began. The old quarry tile was being prepared for the laying of the engineered wood flooring made by Nydree. It is made from Walnut with an oil finish and will tie in the floor to the similar colored beams in the ceiling. As you might know, a floor is one of the last things to be completed. That means the room really will be ready for us in just a little while. We can’t wait – hopefully the anticipation is growing in you as well.

Ripley Chapel Working Group: Rev. Will Burhans, Rev. Judy Arnold, Jane Ring Frank, Carolyn Plosky, Bruce Alexander (project leader).

Work is progressing much more intensely now.  Work on the cast stone surround of the new window opening was completed this week with work continuing to prepare for the installation of the new window which should be completed soon.  Painting has begun and the plumbers are finishing the installation of the steam radiators.  Plastering work is to begin today.

Seaver Construction and the many sub-contractors are striving to achieve “substantial completion” by the end of this month.  That will mean the interior of the chapel will be done and we can begin to use it in October.  Unfortunately there are two significant items that will be delayed due to a back up of work by the fabricators:  the new Chapel wood door and the handicapped accessible Ripley Entrance door.  While we wait for these products to be made and delivered to the site, the old doors will remain in place. We are working closely with Seaver to facilitate progress and avoid any further delay points.

The window opening with its cast stone surround.

A great deal of other work is moving forward from plumbing to flooring prep and wall prep for painting. The team continues to meet each Monday morning to review progress, plans and any issues. This past Monday morning was so nice we met here:

The one down note is that we will not complete the project by the end of August as planned. There have been a few delays outside our control that are causing this. One is the “hydrant test” which is conducted by the Winchester Fire Department which checks pressure in the water mains which provides data to our fire sprinkler sub who then completes the final design of the new sprinklers and the piping required. That test is now scheduled for August 20. My best guess, pending seeing a revision of the full schedule from Seaver, is a finish in the latter part of September.

Bruce Alexander for the Ripley Chapel Working Group

Bruce Alexander
617-605-6031