Construction Update - October 31, 2024
With the completion of installing all the marble elements, as reported in the last update, the brick masons were able to finish building the structural masonry of the chapel. This means that all the walls are now built ready for the next phase of construction. In order to protect the marble columns, capitals, and arches from falling debris, protective coverings were built around those special elements. We were able to take some pictures before it was all covered up.
Walls are only a part of a building, a roof is needed too. Using a special basket lift, a crew installed metal trusses which span between the walls and provide the slope to the roof. Then they placed metal sheets across the trusses. Later shingles will be installed.
Installing the roof.
Main nave roof trusses.
Side nave trusses and metal sheets above.
Looking down the floors in the mechanical room, sacristy, and restrooms are being prepared for concrete. The sacristy and restroom floors have in-floor heating. Here is what that looks like, a snaking path of tubing that will flow with hot water.
Sacristy in-floor heating system.
The mechanical room does not need heating, the mechanical equipment will provide plenty just by running. An action shot of pouring the concrete floor in the mechanical room:
Finished mechanical floor.