By Katie Alsup, Staff Writer
Officials are in talks with a company to replace the cross on the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel.
The chapel has been without a cross since a Spring 2008 windstorm. Plans are in the works to replace the cross. Photo: Amanda Alfanos/ The Campus
Risk Manager Glede Holman and University Chaplin Rodney Newman started negotiations with a manufacturing company to begin construction on a new steeple and cross for the chapel late in November.
The removal of the cross in 2008 cost about $15,000 because of cranes and hauling companies required for the process, Holman said.
“The new cross could easily take $200,000,” he said.
The process would involve two cranes, one to install the new cross and one to support the first crane, Holman said.
“We want to make it look the same as the previous cross, but meet code compliances at the same times,” he said.
Construction could take a maximum of five months to complete because precautions will be taken to make sure it meets codes, he said.
“We want to fabricate a 65-foot structured cross out of aluminum that is strong enough to hold up, but also meets code compliances and seismic codes,” Holman said.
“We can’t put something up that doesn’t meet codes,” he said.
Negotiations will continue with the insurance company to pay for the construction now that there is a viable manufacturer, he said.
“We have insurance for hazards such as wind storms, so the insurance will pay for most of it,” Holman said. “We’re in negotiations with the insurance carrier to get the issue resolved.”
“As far as where the rest of the funding will come from, it’s still unclear at this time. There would be some out of pocket expenses though.”
The cross was blown over in a violent wind storm during Spring 2008, Rodney Newman said.
The clean up took about a week and a lot of money to clean up, he said.
“There has been a sense of absence there since that time,” Newman said. “Something just doesn’t look right, even to people who have never been on campus before.”
”A cross gives symbolic identity to the building,” he said.
Tori Schelling, dance performance senior, said she remembers when the cross was blown off the chapel.
“We were in rehearsals,” she said.
She said she remembers walking outside with other dancers and seeing official surveying the damage.
“My hope is that they learned from what happened and they can apply that now so this type of event won’t occur again,” she said.
Leave a Reply