In a typical year, maintenance includes what you might expect in an old church building: changing filters, mopping floors, ensuring anything broken is replaced, and triaging emergencies that pop up. But 2020 wasn’t a typical year.
Church Street Maintenance Supervisor Keith Bailey, who has been at Church Street for almost six years, says the time without in-person meetings has allowed for both long-overdue and pop-up projects to be finished easily.
There’s a plethora of projects that Bailey and the maintenance team have worked on during the shutdown, but there are a few that members are sure to notice once they return to the church this month.
Welcome Center water damage
Wainscotting off the wall following water intrustion.
At the beginning of 2020, water damage in the basement of the church created what has easily been the biggest building project in the past year.
Rainwater gathered on the roof of the church, before overpowering the infrastructure of the ground below it and opening between the courtyard and building. The influx of water caused the back wall to buckle, and the wainscotting was removed from the wall.
After rerouting the water to avoid any further damage, the floor was stripped and waxed, and the wall was patched before attaching new wood paneling.
Basement wainscotting following repairs.
New look for preschool, children’s classrooms
A new coat of paint, ceiling tiles and lights have created a brighter atmosphere for classrooms in the preschool and children’s classrooms.
Parents, kids and teachers alike will remember the ceilings of the classrooms prior to their recent renovation and won’t be able to miss the new shine each room has.
In addition to new paint, preschool classrooms also received new toilets and sinks, and the floors in the hallways and classrooms were stripped and waxed. A camera system has been added to the front door of the preschool, as well, to help add security.
First floor cleaning in 10+ years
It’s been over 10 years since the floors of Church Street were last completely stripped and waxed.
Waxing the floors is a time-consuming process, as you use a large floor machine to strip away existing wax before applying a new coat. If you haven’t removed the previous wax completely, the wax will build up.
Members will notice a difference in the shine of the floors, especially on the third floor where every space has been stripped and waxed. With typical foot traffic, the floors are mopped regularly.
Pop-up projects
There are several other projects that have taken the time and dedication of Bailey and the maintenance team, which includes Jeffery Rose, Robin Crain, Kevin Bailey and Jacob Jenne.
The elevator entrance in the breezeway and elevator doors have all been painted, and repairs have been made to stained glass in the doors on the Henley Street side of the church.
Additional lights and cameras have been placed outside to ensure security and protect the church, while also providing a glow on the church at night.
Throughout the month of March, we are telling the stories of the Church Street Connectors, those in the church body who have exemplified “being the church” since the Covid-19 pandemic first hit in March 2020. When the church building closed, their ministries continued in new and thriving ways. Stay tuned for more stories all month and throughout the year.
