Why?

Q: Is it true that the Cathedral is the oldest brownstone building in the city of Hartford? Why is brownstone so expensive to maintain, as opposed to other building materials such as brick or granite?

A. Yes, our Cathedral is the oldest of its kind in the city of Hartford. The brownstone used to build the outer walls of the Cathedral is 3 feet thick and was quarried in nearby Portland, Connecticut. It was a common building material in the Northeast in the early 1800’s. Brownstone is not as dense as granite, and over time in many places its outer surface has peeled away. Stone that is deteriorated is quite porous, and if not repaired, can allow for water and moisture to seep through and cause extensive damage to the inside of the Cathedral. In addition, the quality of brownstone differs dramatically, even within the same quarry. Our architect tells us the highest quality Connecticut brownstone was transported into New York City.

Q: Why continue to restore an aging building in the face of profound need in the community and around the nation and the world?

A: Worship is at the center of our life as an Episcopal church. As we receive God’s grace in the sacraments, we are then sent out in peace to love and serve the Lord. Our sacramental life, centered at the altar, feeds our mission to serve and love one another. As fewer and fewer of Hartford’s older buildings on Main Street remain, the Cathedral reminds our community of its past and calls it into a future in hope. Many things change, but it is nice to know that some things do stay the same. As Bishop George Clark, former rector of Christ Church before it was named the Cathedral, preached in 1879 his hope that the church “stand in the very midst of all the turmoil of traffic, to remind men that their life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which they possess; preaching its silent sermon all through the busy hours of the day.”

Q: Has anyone ever considered selling the Cathedral building and moving the parish to another location to build a less costly facility to operate?

A: Yes, some twenty years ago there was a possibility of selling both the Cathedral and the current Diocesan offices on Asylum Ave. to build a new shared Diocesan/Cathedral complex on the Goodwin Estate (now being converted into luxury homes and condominiums). The proposal never reached a formal vote, but there was consensus not to move forward with the idea and, instead, to remain in the center of downtown Hartford and begin a wide-ranging restoration.

Q: A new slate roof on the north side (along Church Street) and minor repairs to the
South side are planned. How long does a slate roof last?

A: Slate roofs are among the strongest and the longest lasting roofs. In our case, the north roof has fared worse than the south side. A new slate roof can be expected to last up to 50-70 years, sometimes even longer.

Q: Stained-glass windows can be extremely expensive to repair and restore. What is the condition of the windows in the Cathedral?

A: The stained-glass windows in the worship area of the Cathedral have been professionally inspected and assessed to be in reasonable condition and not in need of restoration in the foreseeable future.

Q: Is it true that the exterior of the Cathedral Annex is not part of this current restoration project?

A: The annex is the addition at the back of the Cathedral, built some 50 years after the original church. The exterior walls of the annex were not included in this phase of the restoration project for financial purposes, as an attempt was made to keep the cost of the work from being prohibitive. However, all of the windows in the annex have been restored as part of this current restoration.

Q: What is the condition of the Cathedral House?

A: The Cathedral House was built in 1916, some 87 years after the main Cathedral, using the same kind of brownstone. Apart from some work needed around the windows to keep the water out during heavy rainfall, the condition of the overall stone is relatively good.

Why Now?

Q: I thought the Cathedral had been fully restored in the 1990’s?

A: On a historic landmark such as ours, restoration is a continual process and not a mission that is accomplished once and for all. Through the 1990’s there was extensive restoration of the Cathedral (in addition to the Deanery at 118 Westerly Terrace in Hartford) including the full restoration of the interior, the addition of the antiphonal organ, the re-pointing of the bell tower, and the addition of the elevator in the Cathedral House, among many other projects. The full envelope (the architectural term for the outside or outer shell) of the Cathedral was not included in the 1990’s phase.

Q: In worship at the Cathedral over the years, I remember walking under scaffolding
for some time near the entrance of the Cathedral. What exactly was done to the bell tower?

A. In 2001 there were safety concerns as pieces from the tower were falling to the ground. Scaffolding and protective screening were put up to protect passers-by. The Chapter then authorized the repointing of the mortar and the recasting of a number of the finials that stand atop the tower.

Q: Are there risks of waiting to do this work?

A: In order to protect the sizable investment that was made over the last decade to restore the interior, it is vital to repair the roofs, the windows and the exterior walls in order to keep water from damaging the recently completed work.

How Much? The Financial Bottom Line

Q: How much did the earlier 1990’s restoration cost and how was it funded?

A: Most of the $5 million cost for restoring the Cathedral interior and the bell tower in the 1990’s came from the increased market value of the endowment during the historically strong stock market of that decade.

Q: What is the scope and cost breakdown of the work?

A: During the restoration of the envelope, every inch of the Cathedral exterior will be inspected, the aging mortar around the stones will be replaced, stones will be patched or replaced and then cleaned, a severely crumbling chimney used to vent the boiler will be rebuilt, and the woodwork around the windows will be stripped and repainted.

Estimates of the cost of the project are:

Brownstone Restoration
Base $139,000
Final restoration $25,000
Cleaning of façade $30,000
Cutting and pointing $176,000
Joint sealants $19,000
Subtotal $389,000

Roof Restoration
Base $96,000
New North Roof $140,000
New North Gutter $11,000
Subtotal $247,000

Chimney Restoration $38,000
Subtotal $38,000

Other
Staging $116,000
Permit $18,000
Carpentry and Painting $78,000
Caulking of Cathedral
House windows $15,000
Paving stone rebedding $45,000
Subtotal $272,000

Stained-glass windows
in the Annex $185,000

Grand Total $1,131,000

Q: Why did the Chapter decide to fund the current restoration from a commercial bank loan instead of taking money from the endowment?

A: The Cathedral is blessed with a substantial endowment that was given largely through bequests from some of the parish’s founding families and others over the decades. The 1990’s restoration came at a good time with historic growth in the stock market and an abundance of workers in the trades, due to the downturn in the construction business in the region. Today’s investors cannot count on such high returns. The Cathedral also experienced a reduction of one clergy position and two professional staff positions from 2002 to 2004 based largely on the lower earnings from the endowment. It is the consensus of our leadership that the endowment must not be the sole source for future capital maintenance.

Q: What is the reason for completing the exterior work in one year by taking out a loan from a bank, as opposed to doing a portion each year and “paying as we go”?

A: A special Task Force considered several options and timetables for this work. The decision to complete the work in a shorter period of time and beginning as soon as possible was based on the cost of delaying the work. Inflation in the construction industry is higher than the general inflation consumers experience. In addition, we wanted scaffolding erected for the shortest period of time possible, so that our anticipated neighbors moving to downtown Hartford will not encounter a church under perpetual construction, but open for God’s business.

Q: When was the last Capital Campaign?

A: A Raise the Roof campaign in the early 1990’s brought in roughly $250,000 from Cathedral members and clergy throughout the diocese -- 5% of the overall cost of the work. Parishioners were also able to make additional contributions towards the restoration for up to ten years after the formal campaign ended.

Q: Who will coordinate the Capital Campaign and when will it begin?

A: The Episcopal Church Foundation will be our consultant for the campaign. A feasibility study will take place in early 2007 – including sending questionnaires to every household in the Cathedral. We hope that the giving portion of the campaign will begin by late spring/early summer 2007. Typical campaigns run over a three-year-period, with payments made to the capital campaign in addition to one’s pledge to the operating budget.

Q: How does the bank loan work?

A: Having been given permission by the Standing Committee of the Diocese to move forward, we were authorized to borrow up to $3 million for the project. We hope that the total cost of this phase will not exceed $1.5 million. We will pay an adjustable interest rate for the first three years, and will then fix the rate for the balance of the ten year period that the loan will be outstanding. The unpaid principal will be paid to the bank by the year 2016. As donations and pledges come in during the three years of the capital campaign, those monies will go directly to pay down the principal of the loan.

Q: How will the loan impact our annual operating budget?

A: A key factor in answering this question will be the amount of the money that will be raised during the campaign. Obviously, the more that is pledged and paid over the three years of the campaign, the less the loan payments will be. We are planning for a successful campaign, but we also need to increase our annual giving. Currently 77% of the operating budget is funded from endowment income, with only 23% from pledges and donations. Increased annual giving to the mission and ministry of the Cathedral helps ensure that vital programs and key staff positions will not have to be cut back any further in the future.

Q: How can you learn more about the Cathedral, this phase of the restoration, and begin considering making a contribution?

A: You can call the Very Rev. Mark B. Pendleton, Dean of the Cathedral, or Judy Radasch, Cathedral Administrator, at (860) 527-7231 for more information about the timing and cost of the work. As the campaign unfolds, it is possible for donations to be made through our website at www.cccathedral.org. All contributions will be tax-deductible as charitable gifts.