When students noticed the giant hole being dug behind St. Thomas Episcopal Church, located on West Wheelock Street between Psi Upsilon and Theta Delta Chi fraternities, many speculated as to what the area was being excavated for. Rumors even surfaced that it was to be a "super-basement complex" connecting the two fraternities underground.
The construction is in fact part of a multi-million dollar renovation for the church called the Galilee Project. The church began plans for the renovation four years ago, and since then has raised $2.4 million for the project.
Digging began on the site before Christmas, but weather kept the construction crew working on indoor tasks for much of the winter.
These interior renovations included redoing much of the chancel, creating more seating for the choir, moving the altar closer to the congregation and making room for a new organ. The old organ, located in the nave, is being sold to make room for additional seating for the congregation.
Downstairs, a large meeting hall is being converted into spaces for a music room, a choir practice room, and an education room, while the old kitchen will now be used as a children's chapel.
The most visible part of the renovation is the giant hole taking up nearly all of the area between Psi U, Theta Delt and Thayer Dining Hall. Workers are now pouring concrete walls and supports in the area extending from the basement of the church, which was last redone in 1954. The new area created above ground on the first floor will become a kitchen and a meeting room.
According to Paul Trembley, Trumbull-Nelson Construction's field supervisor for the project, the last section of wall is being poured this week and on Monday workers will begin to backfill dirt into the area outside the walls.
A better part of next week will involve this work as well as the laying of underground utility lines. This will allow the church to disconnect the wires branching off from overhead wires from the street, which church treasurer Jerry Mitchell '51 described as having been "an eyesore and a hazard for the past 10 years."
Trembley said that working with this site has been difficult, since it features only one access route, between Psi U and the church. Because of this, most of the work has to be done from the inside out.
Mitchell, a member of the building committee, praised the cooperation of the College and the two fraternities, saying that all three granted easements to the church so that some work could be done that would otherwise not have been possible under current town zoning regulations.
Another major aspect of the renovation involves making the church compliant with codes mandating handicapped access. This includes more wheelchair-accessible ramps and an elevator.
During the construction, the offices of St. Thomas Church have been moved to Edgarton House, which Mitchell said will soon also undergo renovation.
Services are now being held at both "the Edge" and in Rollins Chapel.
