Photos courtesy of The Durable Slate Co.

Unique Religious Architecture in Akron Being Preserved

DOWNTOWN AKRON — First Congregational Church has dominated the corner of East Market and Union streets for almost a century. After that number of years, some significant maintenance issues have come to light, according to church officials, which have led to restoration efforts.

The restoration is addressing the structural integrity of the building and making repairs to the exterior masonry and the roof and its components.

“We were given a wonderful gift by the people who built the church,” said Sarah Vradenburg, moderator of the church’s governing board. “It’s our obligation to give the next generations something equally valuable — physically and spiritually.”

Chambers, Murphy & Burge Restoration Architects on East Market Street is overseeing the project, which has been undertaken by The Durable Slate Co., historic restoration contractors based in Columbus.

The building, which is one of the last “Akron Plan” churches in Akron still being used as a church, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Vradenburg explained that “in an Akron-plan church, there is an integration of the worship space and Sunday school space. Sunday school classes can enter the meeting house [or sanctuary] through the balcony area, so that the two functions are in closer communication with this design.”

According to Elizabeth Corbin Murphy, of Chambers, Murphy & Burge, the rewards inherent in preserving historic architecture are obvious, especially in such a building.

“You can learn from it — learn about past generations, historic construction, methods of teaching and worship — just by being in the building and absorbing,” she said.

Durable Slate, in executing the restoration, has followed the architects’ lead. Wherever possible, original materials have been left intact; only necessary replacement of underlying structures is being done. “This restoration will produce an amazing change in the overall appearance of the church,” said Bill Koren, Durable Slate’s foreman in charge of the project.

Shown above left, workers replace the asphalt shingles with Vermont mottled green and purple slate, expected to last anywhere from 80 to 250 years, according to Durable Slate officials.

“When we are finished, with the entire roof installed and the monitor [the one-story structure atop the roof over the meeting house space] reclad in copper, restored to its original state, it will take your breath away,” said Koren.

The monitor is shown above right. Parts of its wood base needed to be replaced due to deterioration; the solid portions remain. The entire structure is being reclad in 20-ounce copper, which should last for more than 100 years, according to Durable Slate.

The company is also handling structural stabilization issues. In the basement, 16 new concrete pads securing 6-by-6-foot columns will provide more support. In addition, newly installed sister joists will reinforce the existing floor joists.

This stabilization measure is important to the broader use of the church as a community resource, according to Vradenburg.

“The church is incredibly busy because it is also used by a lot of community organizations,” she explained. “So much goes on here in addition to church services.

“If we keep tearing down the old to build new, the quality of building deteriorates over time, and you have no visible record of where you came from,” Vradenburg added. “So if a building can possibly be saved, it should be.”