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| Vol. 17, No. 5 | Oct. 2, 1997 |
Work will begin soon on the exterior of the old St. Thomas Episcopal Church, located at the corner of Delaware Avenue and Elkton Road.
According to David Hollowell, executive vice president, "When this restoration project is completed, the building, which dates from 1845, will look very much as it did originally. Even the colors will be maintained. This is another example of the University's commitment to preserve the historic structures of the city of Newark."
The stabilization and restoration of the building's exterior is the current priority, Hollowell said. The deteriorating stucco will be removed, a new layer of stucco will be added, the front doors will be restored and a new roof will be added to the building.
The stained glass windows have been removed for restoration and they will be replaced at the end of the project.
During the summer, underground piping was installed from Munroe Hall, linking the church building to the central plant to provide heat and air conditioning.
Once the exterior work is complete, the interior repair and restoration will begin. In addition, he said, landscaping would be added to areas adjacent to the building and along connecting walkways from Munroe Hall and the Main Street parking garage.
When completed, he added, the 1,600-square-foot-building will be used for musical performances, lectures and other special events. The capacity will be about 82 persons for a theatre-style performance or about 60 for a dinner.
Exterior work is expected to be completed this winter, with the building's complete renovation scheduled to be finished by the end of 1998.
-Ed Okonowicz
Photo by Robert Cohen