Under 18 layers of paint, University of Utah construction officials found the original colors of the chapel in the Heritage Commons.
As the last phase of a huge renovation project to restore the time-weathered buildings in Heritage Commons, officials decided to restore the chapel to its original color.
The outside of the chapel, painted yellow and maroon and fitted with copper trimming, is nearly restored. Inside, there are still weeks of work to be done. Many of the windows are covered in paper to protect them from dirt and paint.
Once completely renovated, the chapel will be used to worship god?any god.
To ensure that the chapel will be available for many different religious groups, U President Bernie Machen asked his Special Assistant Mike Benson to establish a committee that would determine what groups could use the facility. Benson is still searching for people to sit on this committee.
“We want to make sure the chapel is open to people of all faiths,” Benson said. “It is part of Machen’s push to help diversify the U. Diversity of religion is a huge part of Machen’s goal.”
As part of the Heritage Commons renovation project, the chapel’s completion will mark the end of preparations for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
In February, the building will serve as an inter-faith chapel for Olympic athletes.
Built in 1883, the chapel, later referred to as the Post Chapel, originally had a slate roof. Two tall trees?now removed?once shaded the building and protected the 100-year-old, stained-glass windows from the sun’s rays.
Now put in place, cleaned and restored, those windows are the most intriguing part of the chapel, said U Staff Architect Bud Merritt.
Merritt has planned dozens of building renovations on campus in his 13 years at the U.
Merritt said the chapel has been one of the greatest buildings he has been involved with.
“Restoring old buildings is my favorite kind of work to do,” he said.
The estimated cost of renovation of the chapel is more than $500,000, all of which is donated money.
The chapel will be the only on campus inter-faith chapel in Utah’s system of public higher education.
Near the chapel, construction crews will soon finish construction of a new bandstand on the east end of Stillwell Field. Built in 1912, the gazebo-like stand has burned a couple of times.
Dan Adams, assistant vice president for student affairs, said the bandstand’s appearance has changed many times over the last 100 years.
A couple of fires damaged the structure. Fire damage, covered by reconstruction, forced Adams to decide to completely rebuild the bandstand.
Plans for constructing the new bandstand were designed by studying old photographs, Adams said.
The stand will cost $173,000 to rebuild.
On Nov. 10, the bandstand will be dedicated. At that time, a group of prominent U supporters and donors will be touring the facility.