Reprint from the Progress Times - March 28, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

La Lomita Chapel reconstruction on schedule

 

By Kathy Olivarez

Despite a few snags, reconstruction of the Mission’s icon, La Lomita Chapel, continues on schedule and within the budget of approximately $244,000. The project is being funded from the hotel/motel tax the city collects. The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, which owns the property is contributing $50,000 to the cost of restoration.

 Cris Duque, Mission assistant city manager, said the newest problem had to do with the discovery of termites in the wood imbedded into the stone walls of the chapel.

Duque said the city was applying for a $40,000 matching grant for archaeological studies to do further research on the site. Already the discovery of wooden posts made of trees found imbedded within the walls indicates the chapel was built earlier than thought. Duque hopes the study will tell a more definitive story about when the chapel was built and how it was originally used.

Project Architect Steve Tillotson of Kell Munoz Architects in San Antonio, said the discovery of the posts added a whole new dimension to the history of the building because the construction looks like an earlier jacal might have been incorporated into the chapel. He now believes the building might have been built as early as the 1840s or 1850s, prior to the Civil War.

The discovery of the wooden posts created a couple of problems. First, if they were removed, the walls might fall down. If left untreated, the posts create a weak spot in the walls where further deterioration might be a problem. Second, it would be difficult to find similar posts to replace them.

It was decided to fill them with an epoxy liquid that would prevent them from further deterioration due to moisture and also discourage any insects "from chewing on them." Workers drilled holes into the posts from the inside of the building. These holes were filled with an epoxy liquid that would harden in such a way that Tillotson said, "the post was effectively embalmed" and would not deteriorate further.

Commenting on the proposed archaeological survey that is being requested, Tillotson said, "The survey could help date the building by studying the overall chronology of the site. It is needed before other phases of the project can be considered. Restoration of the chapel is just phase one of the overall scope of the project.”

At one time a small village existed around the chapel. At least a dozen buildings were known to have been there including a rectory and small outlying buildings.

Currently, reconstruction of the roof is underway with additional bracing being added and purloins installed. The new wood shingles will be installed when those jobs are done.

Tillotson said he is extremely pleased with the way the project is moving and that the 5125 Company has done an excellent job on the project and it is being expertly crafted.

"I’m extremely happy with the job they are doing," he concluded.