Praying for a Landmark's Soft Landing
Laguna Presbyterian Church members and other onlookers held their breath on Wednesday as crane operator Kevin Hall gingerly lifted the historic cupola from the bell tower, part of a major remodeling project. The construction crew working on the $11.3 million restoration of the historic Laguna Presbyterian Church literally raised the roof on Wednesday, removing intact the upper section of the bell tower and one of the tallest structures in downtown.
"We weren't sure we would be able to preserve it; only the paint and plaster is holding it together," said Rick Hume, a landscape architect and cochair of the church's building committee.
Crane operator Kevin Hall gently lifted the cupola to its temporary location at the bell tower's base as church elders and onlookers watched anxiously. Then, Hume had his chance to inspect the 85-year-old architectural feature, discovering every homeowner's nightmare: dry rot in every timber.
"Frankly, it would be easier to rebuild it, but our commitment is to reconstruct," Hume said.
He hopes that restoration of the cupola on site with sound construction materials will also include refitting the 25-foot tall dome with its original bell, which had been removed and replaced with a clarion bell, which has chimed each hour since 1955. The tower's middle section also will be retrofitted with steel reinforcement, which requires the removal of three narrow stained glass windows. When the restoration is complete a year from now, the tower will be lit internally, creating a new visual downtown landmark, Hume promised.
Laguna Beach resident and architect John Loomis, who specializes in historic preservation, and Robert Habiger, a liturgical design architect from Albuquerque, envisioned the renovation plans.
Reconstruction of the Spanish Colonial-style church, as well as expansion within the entire church campus, began in December 2007.
To both reinforce the structure to meet seismic requirements and halt water intrusion from groundwater and high tides required the removal of the entire foundation, Hume said. Its replacement mimics the sealed hull of a ship, he said.
Construction workers are now gutting the sanctuary, which will also be reinforced and outfitted with a top-notch sound system and re-roofed with the original tiles.
