Church of the Covenant Sanctuary Restoration

Church of the Covenant (Cleveland, OH)

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CLIENT GOALS

Church leadership recognized the need to update and restore certain facets of this is beautiful Ralph Adams Cram designed Gothic revival church.  Built in 1911 it was showing its age. Portions of the plaster walls in the apse were buckling, the pews were weakening and sections of the hardwood floor were significantly worn down. Perhaps more frustratingly, the acoustics were dismal and the lighting was insufficient for parishioners to read the hymnals.

SOLUTIONS

WMF led the restoration of the sanctuary as architects and construction manager. New work included new oak hardwood flooring placed over the original floors, slate tile installed in the nave aisles, walls re-plastered and painted, and a significant re-configuration of the rear balcony to receive a new organ. All the existing pews were removed, painstaking separated into parts, structurally enhanced, rebuilt and refinished. Replacement chandeliers from a 1950 renovation were abandoned in favor of new chandeliers based on the original Cram design and upgraded for better illumination and energy efficiency.

RESULTS

Phase one was completed in ten weeks and under budget because of [the firm's] oversight, diligence and organizational skills. Because of the superb work accomplished the Church of the Covenant has received four major awards.

Robert Job Campbell, D Min. DD
Senior Minister (former)

Church of the Covenant