And the walls come tumblin’ down

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
October 23, 2014 12:47 p.m.

After months of discussion and planning, there are now visible signs of progress on the renovation and expansion of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church on the corner of Broome and North 4^th Streets in Fernandina Beach.  On October 23, 2014 deconstruction of the recent addition to the rear of the historic structure began.  Once that is cleared away, work can begin on the new transept, to be located at the rear of the church building, which will allow seating for what has been an overflow congregation for the past many years.

According to Tom Hable, church representative, work on the project began on July 28 this past summer.  He said that the need to expand was actually “a godsend,” allowing the church to uncover many deficiencies that might have threatened the continued existence of the historic building if left untreated.  He said that in working on the bell tower, construction workers discovered that the tower was 4.5 inches out of plumb.  Work to stabilize the tower began immediately.  If it had not, there was a strong possibility that with cracks already developing in the tower and the front of the church, the tower could have collapsed over the next few years, taking part of the church with it.  Also in the bell tower, workers discovered that the beam supporting the bell had rotted.  An overly energetic tug might have resulted in disaster for the bell, the tower and the unsuspecting parishioner at the base.

Hable said that in moving the altar, rotted joists were also uncovered.  If the altar had not been moved, the condition of the joists might have over time resulted in extensive damage to the altar and the church itself.

Because of problems encountered with the bell tower and the altar move, construction on the addition was delayed 6-8 weeks.

Project architect Jose Miranda estimates that the work on the church project will be completed in summer 2015.  The construction company of Auld & White, under the watchful eye of site supervisor Kevin Thompson, is making sure that the church building, the oldest brick structure in Fernandina Beach (1873), is being protected and respected as their work continues to bring the congregation more space and another hundred years of useful life.

Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.