By james art MADISON — With the feeling of cooler weather and changing colors, winter begins to approach in Wisconsin, and the outdoor work on the Church of St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Madison is fast approaching its expected completion for the year.
Frost blanketed Portage last week, signaling a shift in focus at the future diocesan cathedral from completing outdoor priorities to continuing interior projects as colder weather approaches, explained Paul Lang, chairman of the diocesan building commission.
Lang has meticulously managed the cathedral project since its inception more than a year ago, ensuring the work is completed on time and to a high standard.
As winter approaches, Lang shared what outdoor work in St. Bernard will be completely finished while the snow flies and what will be prepared to withstand the cold.
“Continuing Battle”
The largest project at the future cathedral that Lang had to manage—both in area and effort—was the church’s parking lot.
The lot, just off Atwood Ave. and Corry St., represents a relatively large tract of land in an otherwise densely urban Madison neighborhood.
When work on the parking lot began months ago, many problems were discovered, with Lang describing the team fighting an “ongoing battle” with the weather and what seemed like an ever-growing list of complications as they worked through the summer months.
Compared to what it looks like today, the lot looked a lot different in September.
In September there was an excavator between the church and the parish office removing clay-like subsoil that was undermining the integrity of the car park; in other areas piles of gravel 10 feet high were waiting to be spread over pre-dug ground; and a large pit was dug at the back entrance of the church porte-cochère foundations were about to be laid.
The parking lot was in poor working order and very busy — sometimes dangerous — with heavy machinery going in, out, and around the parking lot.
Late last month, Lang said the team was “coming to the end of our cut-and-fill process.”
He shared that during the excavation, 90 percent of the concrete on the lot “had to be dug down at least four feet to get the old and rotten soil out,” which he described as “all soft, all clay.”
Now the batch is extremely better.
The sub-soil has been replaced, the gravel brought in to level the parking lot has been leveled and tamped, and two weeks ago hand plastering was done on the curb and gutter.
All of this work had to be completed before frost and snow set in, and a two-inch bond layer of pavement was laid last week.
Speaking about the challenges so far, Lang said, “People just don’t see the amount of work that goes into a simple parking lot.”
“It was amazing what we had to go through here just to get here,” he said gratefully.
“Remarkably, even with all this extra work,” which included: an extended period of excavation, discovery of unexpected foundations beneath topsoil, installation of new electrical and HVAC systems, and replacement of a retaining wall, “the team still managed to deadline before all black installations close in two weeks,” Lang said.
“God was on our side for that,” he said.
Other projects
Other exterior projects completed before winter include a set of new roofs on the rectory garage and administration building.
Once flat, the rectory garage’s new roof is an open gable — a peaked roof that creates an overhang on each side of the building — to better handle heavy snowfall.
Replacing the other roof, the administration building, was a prudent undertaking given its age and the ongoing overhaul of many parts of the St. Bernard campus.
With the updates to the rectory garage, pastor Fr. Michael Radovich said he has a special design in mind to beautify the building’s facade and that those plans will have to wait until after winter to begin.
At the front of the garage, “we plan to do our best to mimic the original mosaic of St. Raphael and Tobias from the Cathedral of St. Raphael,” Father Radovic said.
He described the mosaic’s placement as “prime sacred space, outdoor real estate,” reminiscent of the same language that describes the Jesus mosaic adorning the facade of the St. Paul Catholic Student Center, which faces the Library Mall on the UW campus- Madison.
“Most everyone will see the mosaic as they park and enter the cathedral,” Father Radovich continued.
Because of the “great affection of many diocesan parishioners for St. Raphael,” Father Radovic said he wanted to honor him in a special way and that the new facade is “a canvas [on which] to put something beautiful”.
Another project that will have to wait until after winter is the cathedral courtyard, which will be between the church and the rectory.
There, Father Radovic said, “we plan to have a statue of the Virgin Mary, like a Marian grotto,” where people can come and sit and pray with her.
Finally, other projects that will wait until spring include planting new trees around the St. Bernard and new EV charging stations.
Due to city obligations, EV charging stations will be placed in the church parking lot.
The number of stations depends on the capacity of the parking lot, so for San Bernard three stations will be available for visitors.
Lang said EV charging facilities will be set up in the rectory garage specifically for use by priests.
And although four trees were moved earlier this year, come next spring, “22 trees will be planted and reach a mature height and beauty,” Lang said.
These 22 trees will only be near the parking lot, for a total of 32 trees that will grace the church campus.
“Each one of them will be different, which will be unique and beautiful,” he said, and “with the seasons changing as they are, you’ll see different colors in those species,” Lang continued.
As fall turns to winter and the snow begins to pile up, work at the cathedral will continue efficiently, Father Radovich and Lang assured, but it will continue indoors, with much more work to do.
For more information and project support visit madisoncathedral.org