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Dec. 9, 2019
Past Month Sees Critical Behind-the-Scenes Work to Reinforce Sanctuary
Slow-going, intensive and critical work: installing metal clips throughout the newly-framed interior, tying the roof structure to the framing to the new steel "moment" frames.
Steel Clips Tie Building Together
We didn't have a flashy crane at work during the past month, but vital work on the Sanctuary seismic strengthening continued apace. 

One of the time consuming but vital steps was to screw in scores of metal framing clips to tie together the roof structure to the newly-framed walls and newly-installed steel "moment" frames. This work will continue through the remainder of the year.

You can see how each of these support systems come together in the photos above and below.

 

Eastern End of Building Gets Stronger
Another "system" that saw lots of work in November included the excavation for concrete work throughout the eastern portion of the interior of the Sanctuary. You'll recall that the highest priority for the early months of the project was to stabilize and rebuild the entire western portion of the building, which was the oldest and poorest built. Much of this work has been completed.

Attention now turns to the eastern portion. The photo below shows much of the temporary shoring needed as huge trenches are dug and prepared for steel rebar over which concrete "grade beams" will be poured. These sit at the level of the dirt floor seen below. You can also see into the "back of the house" which will be rebuilt for the altar/flower guild rooms, vesting room and accessible restroom.


Waterproofing, Stone Exterior Work
Another area of focus in November was the application of exterior waterproofing where the stone facade will be replaced.

The photos below show the waterproofing membrane and the setting of the first rows of stone facade. All of the stones removed from the original facade were saved and those, along with some stone not re-used during the Bell Tower reconstruction, and a few new ones, will ensure our new building looks just like our old one. 




 


South Flat Roof
Because of water seepage over the past few decades near the high windows above the Chancel, we knew we were going to have to tear out that portion of the flat roof. We decided to enlarge that opening to permit craning in the two large steel moment frames last month, which allowed us to streamline other work in the Sanctuary. However, when the interior of the flat roof was fully exposed, we discovered an area of extensive termite and water damage, and have determined that it will be prudent to replace the entire south flat roof. On the plus side, we are happy that all other areas of the roof, including the north flat roof, are sound.
 
Structural Engineering and Labor Scheduling
All of these structural enhancements, including rebuilding of the south flat roof, have required extensive consultation between our contractor and our architect and structural engineer. Possible solutions are thoroughly researched and documented and processing this critical problem-solving has been time-consuming. Added to this, the huge amount of construction underway throughout Montecito and beyond has made prompt scheduling of some key sub-contractors more of a challenge. We believe we are on track, but as you can imagine, nothing is simple about this incredibly complex job.





Photos by Sheri Benninghoven, Alyson Eyer-Delevett
Rain Leaves Imprint on Jobsite
This week's rain left the Sanctuary work area inundated, resulting in unsafe working conditions and sending workers home. Our general contractor, Armstrong Associates, will continually monitor the site and rain impact to keep work moving forward when safe to do so.
 

Past Newsletters, Online Photo Album Document Sanctuary Preservation & Readiness Project

You can check out All Saints' online photo album by clicking this link. You'll find photo albums of the entire Sanctuary strengthening project, including the reconstruction of the Bell Tower and special services, and many parish events.

Past editions of the Special Edition Bell Tower are available at the links below; you'll be able to relive all the progress we've made. If you are new to All Saints, you can learn the entire back story!


Here are links to a few of the key past editions: