St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Project Description:
The St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana is among the oldest Lutheran congregations in the nation, which began in 1839. The structure we were to renovate was dedicated in 1905 and stands as one of the most splendid examples of Gothic-style architecture in the Midwest. The building was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. After several decades of withstanding harsh Indiana winters, the building was in need of maintenance and extensive renovation.

While the St. Paul’s congregation clearly realized the need for extensive renovation they realized, as is often the case with other Church congregations, that funding of the project would be challenging. Consequently, they began a search for a general contractor who could develop a phased renovation plan that would unfold over a number of years as the Church accumulated the funds that would allow the project to be fully completed. They turned to Midwest Maintenance, Inc. for this plan.

Planning:
We performed a detailed assessment of the structure and presented the members of the congregation with a plan that prioritized the most critical elements of the project and that would be implemented in three phases over a six-year time frame. One of the benefits of the extended renovation period was that it allowed time for us to do extensive research on materials that would provide precise duplication. One of the greatest challenges of the project lay in the elevation of the structure. A magnificent spire that reached 214’ above ground defines the 214’ x 90’ structure. Our assessment plan included a complete materials inventory and detailed safety program that would not only protect our craftsmen but also the 1,170 members of the congregation as they continued to occupy the Church during the renovation project.

Project Execution:
This project tested nearly every aspect of our expertise including erection of secure scaffolding, carpentry, roofing and metal fabrication, masonry restoration and painting. The total project required 11 semi loads of scaffolding, 66 tons of Vermont slate, over 38 miles of tuckpointing and over 12,000 pounds of sheet copper. The scope of the project was multiplied when the removal of all old materials was factored in.

Summary:
We feel we served the St. Paul’s congregation well by not only providing expert craftsmanship on the project, but by also developing a plan that allowed them to fund the restoration of this magnificent structure over an extended period of time.

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Awards:
Associated Builders and Contractors Regional Award of Excellence