SUBMITTED TO THE PATRONATO SAN XAVIER BY BOB VINT, ARCHITECT TUCSON, AZ STABILIZATION: SACRISTY ARCADE Site Visits: 4.28.11, 5.3.11, 5.6.11, 5.12.11, 5.25.11, 6.8.11, 6.22.11, 7.6.11, 7.19.11, 8.2.11, 8.16.11
(A.1) 5.2.11 SITE MEETING (9:00 a.m., 70º, clear)
PRESENT: Bob Vint, Vern Lamplot, David Carter, Jody Kopydlowski (SunState Equipment)
DISCUSSED: Weight of lift (4800 lbs) and affect upon floor and tile. To access high altar for visiting consultant, would need to build a long shallow ramp to go up three steps to altar. Total rise = 16-5/8”, @ 5% max slope ramp would need to be 16 ft. long past front of altar disrupting pews and mass. Decided to erect scaffolding rather than use a lift – Vern will arrange with Dave Brown of Safway.
(A.2) 5.3.11 SITE MEETING (8:00 a.m., 65º, part. clouds)
PRESENT: Bob Vint, Vern Lamplot, David Carter, Aneta Zebala, Suzanne Morris
WORK IN PROGRESS: Dave Brown & crew of SAFWAY erecting scaffold @ High Altar.
DISCUSSED: Viewed area to be inspected. During mass from 8:30 – 9:00 met in courtyard to discuss history & details of project. Toured project including roof. Aneta & Suzanne requested additional details and historical information; will meet with Bunny Fontana at his home/library this afternoon.
5.3.11 Observed termite damage at base of altar rail; J. Vidal to remove affected area & substitute matching mesquite; he already replaced the step to the main altar (left in photo) which had deteriorated.
Lion at altar rail
Termite damage below railing
(A.3) 5.6.11 SITE MEETING (7:00 a.m., 65º, part. clouds)
PRESENT: Bob Vint, Aneta Zebala, Suzanne Morris
WORK IN PROGRESS: Aneta & Suzanne completing evaluation of interior conditions.
DISCUSSED: Met in courtyard to discuss results of evaluation. Aneta requested (and Bob provided) a sample of the lime/sand/nopal plaster being used at the exterior. Discussed roof maintenance & condition including periodid lime mortar-washing and attempt to manage cracking with expansion/control joints. Discussed wood preservatives/insecticides to protect wood at altar railing in future [products named ‘Timbor’ and ‘Cedar-cide.]. BV will inform Johnny Vidal.
Aneta documents condition of St. Bartholomew in west transept 5.3.11.
Suzanne Morris & Aneta Zebala @ S. Xavier.
Viewed lime plaster roof; note seam in plaster at roof
(A.4) 5.12.11 SITE MEETING (9:00 a.m., 85º, part. clouds)
PRESENT: Bob Vint, Danny Morales + crew of 4 [Alex, Freddy, Jorge, Sonny].
WORK IN PROGRESS: Burnt adobe masonry @ rain sluices; shoring for arch to be jacked up.
DISCUSSED: Danny has shifted Vince & Santi to Mission school to replace old classroom windows with dual-glazed windows for energy efficiency (work being done & paid for by Fr. Steve). This will help the Patronato’s budget. Danny estimates another 4 weeks of work at the school, including roof maintenance.
5.12.11 Progress on canal (rain sluice) @ pier #2; burnt adobe is used at canales for greater moisture resistance.
5.12.11 Settled arch between piers # 3 & #4 – prepared for jacking back in place.
Jorge stabilizing foundation at northwest corner; 5.25.11
Joint @ north mud adobe wall and east brick wall of Sacristy; note adobe infill @ niche in adobe wall.
(A.5) 5.25.11 SITE MEETING (9:00 a.m., 85º, clear)
PRESENT: B. Vint, D. Morales & crew [Alex, Freddy, Jorge, & Sonny – Vince & Santi @ school]
WORK IN PROGRESS: Jorge repairing foundation and joint between adobe/brick @ NWX of arcade; Alex filling crack in east wall of east transept; Sonny re-pointing mortar joints @ upper section of E. wall.
DISCUSSED: Preparation for jacking up arch that settled last summer. Danny is stabilizing the arches on each side of the cracked arch prior to jacking up the center; there are 5 arches along the arcade — 2 to the north and 2 to the south of the arch that settled.
(A.6) 6.8.11 SITE MEETING (9:00 a.m., 90º, clear)
PRESENT: B. Vint, D. Morales, MRB crew [Sonny, Vince, Jorge, Santiago, Freddy, Alex].
WORK IN PROGRESS: Sonny re-pointng mortar joints high on east wall of E transept @t level of beams; Freddy re-pointing arch to be lifted; Santi, George & Alex are working at the school painting the roof and installing windows.
DISCUSSED: Danny will jack up the settled arch within 2-3 weeks prior to the monsoons. Therefore he will delay the traditional 4th of July Morales Co. vacation this year until August.
(A.7) 6.22.11 SITE MEETING (9:00 a.m., 90º, clear)
PRESENT: B. Vint, D. Morales, MRB crew [Sonny, Santi Jorge, Freddy].
WORK IN PROGRESS: Laying brick @ window sill of Chapter/museum room; brick repair @ Sacristy door jamb; continued re-pointing to top of Transept wall.
DISCUSSED: Sacristy door jambs in need of repair at anchor points in wall. Original wood door & jamb seem weak. Have been provisionally repaired over the decades/centuries.
Danny views Sacristy door; it has been cobbled together and needs to be re-anchored & refurbished.
Detail of anchorage in common brick & cement mortar.
(A.8) 7.6.11 SITE MEETING (8:00 a.m., 95º, clear)
PRESENT: B. Vint, D. carter, D. Morales & MRB crew [Alex, Freddy, Jorge, Vincent, Santi & Sonny]
WORK IN PROGRESS: Jacking up center arch to re-load in compression; screw jacks in place, operated by Vince Morales and Freddy García; Sonnny repointng east wall of Church; Jorge @ southwest corner of arcade on foundation.
DISCUSSED: Operation to save original arcade after last summer’s settlement is successful. Once crack above the arch has been packed with lime mortar, the shoring that is being used to lift the arch back in place will be removed. Danny has his full crew back now, having completed work @ Mission school.
Freddy assisting with lifting center arch back in position.
Freddy assisting with lifting center arch back in position.
7.6.11: Mission towers on the morning after a heavy monsoon rain – note difference in color of towers, the east tower still in cement plaster is holding moisture, while the lime plaster of the west tower has released whatever moisture it received.
(A.9) 7.19.11 SITE MEETING (8:00 a.m., 85º, cloudy)
PRESENT: B. Vint, D. Morales & MRB crew [Alex, Freddy, Jorge, Vincent, Santi & Sonny]
WORK IN PROGRESS: Removing shoring from repositioned arch following completion of re-pointing.
Continued progress @ interior of arch w/re-pointing mortar joints @ east wall of church &
Chapter Rm. Vince re-pointng base of east wall.
DISCUSSED: Need to bring in an electrician to clean up inactive wiring running above old ceiling. Must first trace circuits and determine which are active and which abandoned. All live wiring to be re-pulled in metal conduit, replacing all “Romex” (rubber shielded cable). Previous work at Mission was frequently done informally to residential standards, on a limited budget; we will now meet commercial standards.
7.19.11 - The completed arch following re-pointing.
7.19.11 - View of pointing mortar of lime & sand, with pointing trowels (tuck-pointers)
7.19.11 - View of pointing mortar of lime & sand, with pointing trowels (tuck-pointers)
(A.10) 8.2.11 SITE MEETING (9:00 a.m., 90º, clear)
PRESENT: B. Vint, D. Carter, D. Morales & MRB crew [Alex, Freddy, Jorge, Vincent, Santi & Sonny]
WORK IN PROGRESS: Continued scaffold removal at east arcade. David Carter accompanied Vint to discuss roof concern raised by interior restorers, Tim Lewis & Matlide Rubio, who observed discoloration at the interior and were concerned that this was a sign of humidity in the roof.
DISCUSSED: White chalky stains @ interior of cupola appear to be efflorescence [soluble salts] – a sign of moisture. The source of the moisture must be determined. Moisture might seep in through the vault from rain water, or atmospheric humidity trapped at the interior may be absorbed into the plaster and activated hygroscopic salts present in the paint layers. Toured roof to view conditions – Vint tested with Protimeter moisture meter in several places around the roof, and found that moisture levels were in the range of 6%. (i.e. low) following a monsoon rain the previous afternoon. Exterior of roof vaults is dry, as moisture is released by the lime plaster. The question to be answered is the condition at the interior, which will require a hydraulic lift to reach the underside of the cupola @ 52 ft. above floor level. Carter, Lamplot, Morales & Vint will coordinate this.
8.2.11 transom window above Sacristy door; historic crack likely dates to 1887 earthquake; crack continues to interior, and up & across Sacristy dome.
A Franciscan church: birds nest built above the ceiling on electrical junction box.
David Carter & Danny Morale inspect roof - 8.2.11
View of vault above Choir Loft - Tortoise shell pattern of expansion/control joints in plaster installed to limit cracking.
Interior of cupola 8/2/11; Tim & Matilde observed staining on interior of dome and notified Vern.
Detail reveals areas of efflorescence - a sign of humidity, as moisture draws salts to the surface. Will need to rent lift to reach the 52 ft. height of ceiling to test for dampness.
END OF REPORT