Crew works to correct damage to stained windows on steeple
February 11, 2009
By DAVE GOSSETT, staff writer
STEUBENVILLE - Mitchell Spooner edged carefully onto the roof ledge approximately 100 feet above the ground.
He laughed Tuesday afternoon as he held up the harness that tied him to the manlift parked in front of the Holy Resurrection Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church on Fourth Street.
Spooner was wiping down the metal frame surrounding the church's stained glass windows before his co-workers placed a sheet of lexcan over the glass.
FIXING DAMAGE — A three-man crew from CIS Steeplejack of Medina on Tuesday prepared to cover the stained glass windows in the steeple at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church with a special plastic covering.
Three crew members from CIS Steeplejack of Medina are spending the week repairing, cleaning and protecting the stained glass windows in the church steeple.
According to the Rev. Rade Merick, pastor of the church, "the strong wind storms we had here last fall damaged our windows. So our secretary talked to our insurance company and put us in touch with this company."
"They are all very nice young men, but that is something I could never do," commented Merick as he watched the three men move about the steeple.
"They are fixing the damaged stained glass, protecting it with the polycarbon plastic covering and fixing the electrical lighting system in the steeple. They will be installing LED lights so we won't have to change them as often," added Merick.
"It takes a lot of work to keep the church well maintained," Merick noted.
The church was built at its North Fourth Street location in 1947.
Michael Hardin owns CIS Steeplejack which he described as "the Cadillac of Steeplejacks."
"I started in this business when I was 16 or 17 years old. There was a 70-year-old guy from the Cleveland area who climbed around church steeples, inside and outside doing repair work. I sort of attached myself to him and started learning the trade. Then I started my own company about 24 years ago," explained Hardin.
"We should have this job finished up by Friday and then we will move on to our next job. We travel all over the country doing this work. We have had the pleasure of working with some of the oldest, most prominent, historical church steeples and buildings all over the United States," noted Hardin.
"This job isn't too bad. We just finished a job in Tupelo, Miss., that was tough. This would be considered a small job. This is my first time in Steubenville, so I come in with my truck and trailer and have to find a place to rent certain equipment like the manlift we are using here," said Hardin.
"Sure, working way up like that bothers me. But you prepare for the job and make sure you take the proper precautions and everything should go according to plan," noted Hardin.
"CIS Steeplejack has acquired and maintained a quality standard in the restoration industry by paying attention to the often delicate needs of vintage materials and historical architecture. Our team of master riggers, skilled craftsmen and dedicated artisans have taken CIS Steeplejack to new heights of recognition," said Hardin.
"We work with a variety of materials from stained glass to masonry. These jobs can be challenging at times but they are well worth it. It really is enjoyable doing this work and preserving the church structures," stated Hardin.
Spooner finished wiping the metal frame, and co-worker Logan Patton started applying a glue to the frame.
Patton joined CIS Steeplejack last year when he was laid off from his auto body work job.
"Mike is a buddy of mine and he offered me a job with his company. It can be a little strange when you are up in the air like that, you just have to be careful," Patton said.
"It will be fine once we are up in the air. Just get up there and we will chill out and get this job done right," Hardin said with a smile.
(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)
February 11, 2009
By DAVE GOSSETT, staff writer
STEUBENVILLE - Mitchell Spooner edged carefully onto the roof ledge approximately 100 feet above the ground.
He laughed Tuesday afternoon as he held up the harness that tied him to the manlift parked in front of the Holy Resurrection Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church on Fourth Street.
Spooner was wiping down the metal frame surrounding the church's stained glass windows before his co-workers placed a sheet of lexcan over the glass.
FIXING DAMAGE — A three-man crew from CIS Steeplejack of Medina on Tuesday prepared to cover the stained glass windows in the steeple at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church with a special plastic covering.
Three crew members from CIS Steeplejack of Medina are spending the week repairing, cleaning and protecting the stained glass windows in the church steeple.
According to the Rev. Rade Merick, pastor of the church, "the strong wind storms we had here last fall damaged our windows. So our secretary talked to our insurance company and put us in touch with this company."
"They are all very nice young men, but that is something I could never do," commented Merick as he watched the three men move about the steeple.
"They are fixing the damaged stained glass, protecting it with the polycarbon plastic covering and fixing the electrical lighting system in the steeple. They will be installing LED lights so we won't have to change them as often," added Merick.
"It takes a lot of work to keep the church well maintained," Merick noted.
The church was built at its North Fourth Street location in 1947.
Michael Hardin owns CIS Steeplejack which he described as "the Cadillac of Steeplejacks."
"I started in this business when I was 16 or 17 years old. There was a 70-year-old guy from the Cleveland area who climbed around church steeples, inside and outside doing repair work. I sort of attached myself to him and started learning the trade. Then I started my own company about 24 years ago," explained Hardin.
"We should have this job finished up by Friday and then we will move on to our next job. We travel all over the country doing this work. We have had the pleasure of working with some of the oldest, most prominent, historical church steeples and buildings all over the United States," noted Hardin.
"This job isn't too bad. We just finished a job in Tupelo, Miss., that was tough. This would be considered a small job. This is my first time in Steubenville, so I come in with my truck and trailer and have to find a place to rent certain equipment like the manlift we are using here," said Hardin.
"Sure, working way up like that bothers me. But you prepare for the job and make sure you take the proper precautions and everything should go according to plan," noted Hardin.
"CIS Steeplejack has acquired and maintained a quality standard in the restoration industry by paying attention to the often delicate needs of vintage materials and historical architecture. Our team of master riggers, skilled craftsmen and dedicated artisans have taken CIS Steeplejack to new heights of recognition," said Hardin.
"We work with a variety of materials from stained glass to masonry. These jobs can be challenging at times but they are well worth it. It really is enjoyable doing this work and preserving the church structures," stated Hardin.
Spooner finished wiping the metal frame, and co-worker Logan Patton started applying a glue to the frame.
Patton joined CIS Steeplejack last year when he was laid off from his auto body work job.
"Mike is a buddy of mine and he offered me a job with his company. It can be a little strange when you are up in the air like that, you just have to be careful," Patton said.
"It will be fine once we are up in the air. Just get up there and we will chill out and get this job done right," Hardin said with a smile.
(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)
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