St. Columba Catholic Church

Ottawa, Illinois

Built in 1882, St. Columba Catholic Church was in need of preservation and restoration. The church was searching to find a solution for major exterior deterioration issues. ​​As a significant landmark in Ottawa, it was important to develop a 100-year solution, not just a 20-year solution.

The design team started with this long term goal in mind, and worked with St. Columba to develop an overall master plan for church facilities. The plan looked at all current unresolved maintenance issues in a larger scope and incorporated a plan that would be followed for the ongoing care and upkeep of the newly restored facilities. The parish wanted a long-term (100-year) solution, so the design team developed a two-phase plan to address all of the church’s needs. Phase 1 was the exterior renovation and restoration; and in order to fund the projects, the Parish raised funds through a capital campaign.

Features
  • Long-term preservation/restoration plan
  • New slate roof
  • Repaired/restored original stained glass
  • Additional accessibility
  • New front doors
The Challenge

How do we resolve maintenance issues in a larger scope and incorporate a plan that would be followed for the ongoing care and upkeep of the newly restored facilities?

The Solution

Developed a two-phase overall master plan for church facilities; while the Parish raised funds through a capital campaign.

Deteriorating plaster was removed in order to repoint the brick and install a breathable sealant.

This allowed for the restoration of the historical facade while preserving the integrity of the original design. Original hand-painted panes that were deteriorated were laminated to maintain the handwork and integrity of the original artist. New slate roof was installed with vents to allow the attic (which was not insulated) to be insulated to increase energy efficiency.