New steps for Brown Chapel

     Last week, a fence mysteriously appeared around the entrance of Brown Chapel.  This marked only one of the recent changes around Muskingum's campus.

 Senior Director of Facilities and Physical Plant Kevin Wagner discussed the new projects, starting with the renovation on Brown Chapel steps.

     "The sandstone steps were cracking and breaking [and] water was getting underneath [the marble]," said  Wagner. "They were a tripping hazard, polished marble tends to be really slippery when wet. We [also] wanted something more natural."

     To replace the marble, Wagner mentioned that the crew would use bluestone instead.

     Wagner outlined the goals for the project.

     "We're going to strip [the steps] down to the base, the surface where you walk will get redone," said Wagner.  "From the upper landing, we'll rebuild it with a concrete base so that we shouldn't get the water problem that we've had in the past."

     However, the steps are not the only area of focus on Brown Chapel.

     "The old side doors will also be replaced," said Wagner.  "They're starting to rot. We'll replace them back to oak [while salvaging] the existing hardware from the pine ones.  The two side doors on the west face and the double doors on the south face will be replaced as well."

     In regard to how long the project would take, only an estimate could be provided at this time.

     "[The steps will] probably take until the middle of November, depending on the weather [because] we can't pour concrete in the rain," said Wagner.  "It should only be a couple days for each door."

     Wagner mentioned that Lincoln Construction, the same company that worked on Walter Hall, is working on this project, specifically because of their expertise in masonry.

     "Sometimes when it takes a little more expertise, we know a lot of vendors and depending on what it is, we'll go through a process of elimination to find somebody we feel the most comfortable with," said Wagner.

     Wagner spoke to the aesthetic concerns of renovating an older historic building.

     "We try to really balance new construction with the old so it blends in with the overall landscape of the campus," said Wagner.

     He also explained the process of working so close to the daily business of campus.

     "We try not to impact the faculty and students as much as possible, but do need some space," said Wagner. "Working within a confined space ties into the logistics of what you're doing [and] the fence is for everyone's safety.  We try to schedule pickups early in the morning and work around it the best we can."

     One might also notice activity around the columbarium, where workers are putting in a new sidewalk.

     "There were a lot of thoughts with the Board of Trustees [about] a way to link [the columbarium] to Brown Chapel," said Wagner.  

     The new sidewalk would lead directly down the hill to the columbarium, across the road from Brown Chapel.

     "The big thing is trying to balance how much cut [we] do into the hill," said Wagner, in regard to the creation of the sidewalk.

     Wagner noted another project visible on campus, headed by Columbia Gas.

     "We got a notice a couple weeks ago that they were going to come and replace many existing gas lines in New Concord," said Wagner.  "The old line was only about a foot [underground, but] the new ones are three feet below ground. They're using the direct bore method so they don't have to trench as many areas. They've already done the west side of [State Route] 83. They haven't given us their timeline, [but it may take] the full month of October."

 Additionally, Wagner mentioned an upcoming project on campus.

  "We're looking to have Paul Hall available again, to the Art Department," said Wagner.