Workers to restore historic St. Andrew’s Church in Ann Arbor

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 | Source: Concentrate

An old beauty of a church near downtown Ann Arbor is getting a facelift and a little interior work done.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is investing $2.8 million in a new roof, windows and a refurbished hall, among other fixes to the 141-year-old stone structure. Most of the heavy work is expected to wrap up by the holiday season, but some smaller improvements will carry on into next year.

"It's going to be quite stunning when it's done," says Mary Bishop, finance administrator with St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.

The fixes include replacing the slate roof and refurbishing the church's windows. It's also renovating and modernizing Page Hall, along with improving it main entrance to make it safer with things like more walkable steps.

St. Andrew's dates to 1827, making it Michigan's second oldest Episcopal church. It cost $30,000 to build the original church in the late 1860s. It was designed by Gordon Lloyd and is modeled after the country churches of England in the Gothic Revival style.

The tower was built in 1903 and a bell was added in 1927. More information on the church's history can be found here.

Source: Mary Bishop, finance administrator with St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
Writer: Jon Zemke