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During major upgrade to Vancouver's Christ Church Cathedral
Scott Construction finds ways to save renovation dollars
Vancouver's Christ Church Cathedral - going through extensive renovations and upgrades - needed an entire rebuild of its old air conditioning system as part of the first phase of the work.
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| Scott Construction project manager Jeff Ryan says one of the most interesting aspects of the job was keeping the scheduling on track, especially with all the changes required when new challenges were uncovered as the work progressed. |
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But when general contractor Scott Construction Ltd. priced out the additions, "we found we could put in a whole new system and save them about $50,000 into the bargain," explains project manager Jeff Ryan.
"And when we priced out the second phase - the work was originally spread over three phases - we said we could create significant savings if we did that work while still on the site for the first phase."
Accordingly, the church's capital campaign committee decided to move their schedule forward, redoubling their efforts to raise a budgeted $9.6 million for the overall project, including a new, $1million organ built in Ireland.
The new organ - along with stepped benches for the choir - sits atop a free-standing platform or "narthex" and is located at the opposite end of the church from the original. The new location - at the Georgia Street end of the stone and wood building - provides much improved sound qualities, sitting as it does high in the broad, open vaulted ceiling.
The platform is built on two columns that rise up from new foundations that were hand dug approximately four feet below the old basement.
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| The new, $1 million organ sits atop a free-standing platform of reinforced concrete with its columns extending down through the floor to new four-foot-deep footings below the original basement. |
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The original design called for a steel structure. But when Scott Construction discovered there was no sprinkler system in the building, they looked for ways to avoid too much welding that would run the risk of fire. They soon realized a reinforced concrete structure would be less expensive as well as quicker to install - and it avoided any welding work.
"We've got a new sprinkler system installed now," Mr. Ryan points out, "but we couldn't delay the platform as it was needed immediately in preparation for the new organ."
Such "value engineering" is a normal part of many if not most heritage restorations on account of all the unknowns invariably uncovered once a contractor starts opening up walls and floors.
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Imposing "stone" archway over the altar area is actually gyproc with "mortar joints" routed into the surface.
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Another example was a change in plans to add sound and heat insulation in the ceiling. Originally, Scott was to remove the t &g fir ceiling for cleaning and, at the same time, install insulation batts and gyproc paneling to deal with some acoustic issues.
"But when we looked closer we realized the work was significantly greater than initially thought. Instead, we came up with a way to clean and refinish the wood in-situ and then install the insulation and gyproc from the outside when we replace the roof tiles in the next phase."
Working closely with the architects and engineers, these and other changes are still happening as the work progresses - like the surprise when opening up a wall in preparation for some seismic upgrading. They found one of the interior walls was "just hanging there with no support," Mr. Ryan says, explaining the cathedral has been through so many changes over the years that there's "no telling what you'll find."
Seismic changes include a free-standing, full-height, 10-inch-thick reinforced concrete wall at the narthex end with drilled connections to the original outside stone wall to create stiffness in the sheer plain.
Elsewhere, steel frameworks have been embedded in new foundations - again, hand dug in the basement as there was no room to bring in equipment - and tied into the floors and to the outside stone walls. This steelwork is hidden behind the interior wood paneling, all of which has been cleaned and refinished.
And there was more to refinishing the floor and ceiling - installed in 1895 - than might be expected too!
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| Revealed during the renovations were these and other stencil designs from the original stone building. At one time, most of the cathedral walls were a golden ochre with colourful stenciled designs of fleur-de-lis, leaves, and border and floral patterns. Selected areas are to be preserved and displayed behind perspex sheeting. |
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"Under the heritage rules you can't just strip the old finish off and take it back to bare wood," Mr. Ryan points out. "Instead, we cleaned the surface just to the patina of the original varnish and then added a new clear finish to protect it.
"We had to experiment with several methods and colours before we found a result that satisfied everyone," he adds.
All the wall paneling and wainscoting, as well as the main roof beams and trusses were refinished at the same time.
Another seismic requirement included adding a layer of half-inch t&g plywood to the main floor to act as a diaphragm to create lateral strength. But that meant first pulling the solid, one-inch t&g fir flooring - all nailed in place through the tongue into 1"x6" wood decking over 3"x14" floor joists.
"It was quite something to see," Mr. Ryan comments. "The contractor - with great care to avoid splitting the straight-grained, first-growth fir - first peeled whole sections up to free the nails and then separated the pieces.
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Looking from the new organ and choir loft or "narthex," there's little left to indicate the amount of work that went into refinishing the ceiling, the roof beams and trusses, and the fir flooring. Individual chairs - that can be turned to face the narthex for performances - have replaced the original fixed pews.
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The parquet flooring in the altar area has also been redone.
Grand-looking stonework arches over the altar area are actually gyproc with "mortar joints" routed into it.
Over the years, Christ Church Cathedral has become a major Vancouver performance centre, but the new organ has created a second focal point at the opposite end to the church's altar.
Unfortunately, the former rows of pews were permanently fixed and could not be turned around for an organ or choral performance. The solution was to replace them with individual chairs.
In late August, the organ was still being "voiced," a major undertaking considering its 2,376 pipes, 39 speaking stops, three keyboards and full set of foot pedals.
The main floor is already back in action, although further renovations in the office and meeting-room areas in the basement - and to the roof - will be ongoing for some time yet.
Other ICBA-member companies involved in the project include Bert's Electric (2001) Ltd., Celtic Contractors Ltd. (drywall), J.A.W. Fabricators Co. Ltd., (structural and miscellaneous steel), and Rempel Bros. Concrete Ltd.
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