Six weeks ago, we packed up the last box, carried out the last bookshelf and stowed the last pew bible from the church for the start of construction! We’ve seen multiple dumpsters arrive, fill up, and leave as the team from Mountain Construction has been hard at work in our space.
Tip: Use the left/right buttons to switch between the before and in-progress photos.
Sanctuary
When Trinity last hosted service in our space, the front of the sanctuary had already experienced a measure of demolition. Volunteers had carefully removed parts of the choir loft so that congregants could memorialize the old, familiar wood in other projects. Now, the entire choir loft has been removed. The beautiful, old trellis has been taken down, and the floor demolished. Soon, we’ll see this big, open space converted into two stories of Sunday School classrooms, with a soundproof wall filling in the arched space. The second two photos are a before and after of what was the shed, formerly located below the floor of the choir loft.
For several years, an old roof resulted in water damage on several areas of the ceiling. The damage has been removed, with the happy report that there is no evidence of dry rot in the beams. We may choose to leave the plaster off these walls to allow the beautiful brick to accent our space. Don’t worry! The historic stained glass is being carefully preserved throughout the whole process.
Fellowship Hall
Stepping into the Fellowship Hall, you’ll hear the crinkle of plastic protecting the carpet, and immediately notice that the wall separating the Sacristy, more commonly known as the “Flower Room,” and the pre-school play room has been demolished. This allows space for a future stair tower, which will both both connect all three floors of the building, and provide a measure of seismic stability.
Sunday School Classrooms
In the upper level Sunday School rooms, we see two distinct types of working occurring.
First, in these rooms and throughout the building, a stretch of ceiling drywall has been removed to expose the beams. This allows for Mountain Construction to access the “bones” of the building and put in the necessary seismic upgrades.
Next, especially in classrooms with external, brickwork walls, the drywall has been removed to allow access to the masonry. We were delighted to learn that our brick work is in decent shape considering the age of the building. Any old, crumbled brick will be removed, and grout poured into the walls to fill the gaps. For now, we see the brick behind the walls of these classrooms.
The Bryant Neighborhood Center
When Trinity committed to staying here and fixing this building, we were also committing to continue to serve the surrounding neighborhood. Out of that vision comes the Bryant Neighborhood Center.
The Entrance
Overall, the entrance to the lower level from the ramp is going to look incredibly different. While these pictures don’t speak of the future changes, such as the stair tower entrance and ADA ramp, you can see the work that has been started to open and brighten this space.
The Great Room
If you visited The Great Room before, you’d find a number of stable, but temporary walls dividing the room into storage areas for Pat’s Closet. Not anymore! By taking down these walls, we are making space for flexible seating and programming. From one-on-one meetings, to larger group opportunities, this revitalized area will be prepared to host a variety of diverse groups.
The Gym
Since 1922, the Trinity Gym has hosted thousands of kids and adults alike for basketball, foursquare, and just about any other type of recreation you can imagine. We are pleased to report that the dangling ceiling tiles have been entirely removed, as has the flooring, and we are preparing for the next 97 years of play and recreation in this important space.
The Learning Center
Similar to the Sunday School Classrooms in the upper level, the bulk of the planned work in the Learning Center will be the tasks surrounding the seismic retrofit. Here, removed ceiling tiles show the progress being made.
The Kitchen
Work has not yet begun inside the lower level kitchen. We know that the new entrance to the Bryant Neighborhood Center will open against the wall where the stove formerly sat. We hope to remove the walls to open the Great Room even wider, while moving the kitchen to a different space in the lower level. A shared meal is an important and meaningful tool for community. However, the cost associated with moving gas lines and installing a range hood might prohibit these goals. We continue to raise funds, with a functional, hospitable, community-focused Bryant Neighborhood Center (and kitchen!) in mind.
Support
Will you consider coming alongside us in support of this goal? A donation to the Here for Good Campaign for the Bryant Neighborhood Center will help us through the decisions associated with this significant construction project. Every gift has an impact as we work to build a welcoming space for all!
Visit tpctacoma.org/partner to make a donation, or BryantNeighborhoodCenter.org/CapitalCampaign to learn more about the project.