A construction observation visit was conducted at the Chapel of St. Elizabeth and All Military Saints in Savannah, Missouri. During the visit, we reviewed the current progress of construction and discussed with the client several technical issues that have emerged at this stage of the work.
One of the newly identified problems concerns water entering the lower level of the chapel during heavy storm rainfall. Under certain conditions, rainwater reaches the rear basement-level door and penetrates beneath it into the interior. After reviewing the situation on site, it was decided to restore the protective canopy above the rear entrance. This element had previously been removed from the design, but the current conditions have shown that additional weather protection is necessary. Revised drawings are expected to be issued to the contractor at the beginning of the following week.
It was also decided to provide a concrete apron around the perimeter of the building. The proposed apron will be approximately 4 feet wide and will help direct surface water away from the foundation and reduce the amount of moisture reaching the building perimeter. This type of solution is relatively uncommon in contemporary residential and small-scale construction in the United States, although similar perimeter paving is widely used in Russia and in parts of Europe.
The visit also included a discussion of the future wall paintings and their location within the chapel. The arrangement of iconographic compositions must be coordinated in advance with the architecture, wall surfaces, lighting, and other interior elements. The painting of an Orthodox church is a complex process that requires careful planning well before the work itself begins.
Overall, construction is progressing ahead of the anticipated schedule. The dome is expected to arrive in October and will then be installed on the chapel. Site and landscaping work is planned for the spring, while the wall painting is expected to begin next year.