As part of a larger contract to paint and repair exterior woodwork on the entire campus, the historic Somers Chapel required that the belfry, which had lost all of its original millwork in the 1990’s, be rehabilitated. The belfry frame remained in good condition, but none of the original millwork survived. The Meridien Group led architects, Citadel DCA and preservation carpenters The Tower Company, as they worked from historic photographs and the measuring of extant original interior millwork, to replicate the belfry. The team worked closely with preservation officers at GSA’s Office of Planning & Design Quality throughout
The Palladian window in the chancel had been refitted with a stained glass window in the 1960’s, the sash had deteriorated to the point of collapse. The Meridien Group team stabilized the assembly, removed, catalogued and restored the glass and lead came strips. A new mahogany sash was fabricated with CAD Cam technology, installed and the glass refitted. The cupola at the campus’ original building for the Mt. Vernon Seminary, was also in need of rehabilitation. Paint sampling and analysis was performed to establish the original color before work began.
After the 10 month effort the belfry and the window, hidden under blue tarps for 16 months, were again visible to pedestrians passing by on Nebraska Avenue.
