For Immediate Release
April 27, 2004
Contact: Susan McGourty
Mission San Miguel
Ph: (805) 467-2131
Fx: (805) 467-2141
Mission completes critical stage of
stabilization
Mission San
Miguel, San Miguel, CA. –TWG Construction
of Torrance, California has completed a critical stage of the
stabilization-restoration of the historic church of Mission San Miguel with the
installation of emergency shoring at critical points in the earthquake damaged
structure. Shoring was added to the window above the front door and inside the
front door itself. Other reinforcement shoring included buttressing the north
Sacristy wall to keep it from falling down and potentially affecting the
stability of the entire north side of the Church itself. The company also shored-up
the windows in the Church on the south wall.
In addition to the Church itself, TWG
Construction buttressed the Arcade on each end and two of the arches within the
Arcade. The work took three weeks to complete and progressed very smoothly.
Project coordinator John Fowler cautioned,
“all this work does not change the County’s red-tagging or make it more safe
for the public, it is only temporary, and will stay in place until major
restoration has begun.” The old Church building and Arcade remain closed to the
public.
Currently a comprehensive major engineering
study of the entire mission complex is ongoing and will address the exact
extent of damage done to the church structure by the earthquake and to create a
cost estimate and restoration plan for stabilizing and repairing the structure.
The engineering study and church restoration plan are not expected to be
finalized for another couple of months.
The cost for the restoration is anticipated
to run into the several millions, and will take several years to complete.
In the meantime, the Mission Museum and Gift
Shop have been determined by County Safety Inspectors to be safe, and are open
to the public daily.
For more information on the Mission please
visit its web site: www.missionsanmiguel.org or call 805 467-2131 or 805 467-
3256.
