No Christmas finish for big church project in Volo
Completing an ambitious bell tower and spire project by Christmas would have been a nice holiday gift, but instead the towering scaffolding in front of St. Peter Church in Volo will remain through the winter.
After dealing with some unexpected situations, workers ran out of favorable weather. Rather than paying extra to provide heat to allow the project to continue, church officials shut it down for the season.
"It's disappointing. Christmas would have been nice," Pastor Anthony Rice said. "They got as far as they could, but the weather changed."
Still, the goal of having a repaired bell tower and new spire built by the church's 150th anniversary in June is on track.
Rice said the intent is to have all work complete and ready for the celebration in June, so the project really isn't behind schedule. The church has continued to operate during the work.
"They're getting closer," he said.
Since September, scaffolding soaring 95 feet - visible from nearby routes 12 and 120 - has been in place as Chicago-based Berglund Construction began extensive repairs to the supporting tower structure so it could hold the added weight of a new belfry/spire.
The spire and belfry were removed in 1961 after being damaged by lightning in a storm.
Work to repair the tower began in September. Berglund spent several days to assemble the elaborate scaffolding stretching 40 feet beyond the roofline to the top of what will be a new steeple.
A bronze bell, which has been silent since the storm, is being refurbished as part of the project. Eventually, it will sound before Masses and on other occasions.
The church began as a mission in 1868 for local farmers who had been traveling to Johnsburg for services.
The current church at 27551 Volo Village Road is the third building to be used by the congregation.
Construction of the church and adjoining school/convent (since closed) began in 1925, and the first Mass was celebrated in June 1926. Berglund is working from original blueprints to reproduce the building sections that were lost.
Extensive tuckpointing and other repairs have been made to the entire tower, but an unexpected issue arose near the top, Rice said.
"The brick just fell apart, and the mortar was like sand," he said. "For many, many years, there was no maintenance in that tower."
Meanwhile, one weekday morning, a section of the roof collapsed into an interior stairwell. The rotted wood beams were replaced.
"You could tell something crashed and you knew it was inside the church," Rice said. That also has been addressed, and the interior scaffolding removed until work resumes in spring.
He said the spire has been built but the brick facing has not been installed.