A Message from Dean Sniffen
As Advent begins, I write to share an important update about the next step in our restoration and accessibility work on the Cathedral Close. This week, construction will begin on the Cathedral Forecourt—an essential project that carries us further along the path of our Incarnation 2030 masterplan which began with the reseating of the cathedral, the addition of the elevator, and the renovation of the undercroft with fully accessible restrooms. Now we turn our attention to the exterior approach to the cathedral tower.
Once construction commences, a temporary fence will surround the project area between the tower and Cathedral Ave. This will require the closure of the tower entrance for the duration of the excavation, underground infrastructure, and resurfacing work. Because the work also affects the approaches to the cathedral, our entrances at Fifth and Sixth Streets will be intermittently closed over the course of the project.
Throughout this period, the primary entrances to the Cathedral Close will be on 4th Street and Rockaway/Cherry Valley Avenues. The primary entrances to the cathedral building will be the North and South Transept doors. The accessible entrance will be the North Transept door, which will have a temporary ramp installed for the duration of construction.
The anticipated timeline of construction is ten to twelve weeks. As with any outdoor project in the winter season, delays are likely to occur due to weather, but our shared goal is clear and hopeful: to bless the Cathedral Forecourt at Easter, allowing the whole cathedral community—and our neighbors—to step into the season of resurrection along a fully accessible, gracious, and beautiful approach.
When completed, this stage of our accessibility plan will transform the entrance at the tower into a level, drivable patio designed for hospitality, gatherings, receptions, and ceremonial processions. It will allow weddings, funerals, and great liturgical moments to flow seamlessly from the nave to the open air, honoring the cathedral’s vocation as a house of prayer for all people. It will be the best place to hear the national centennial bells in the cathedral tower throughout the upcoming semiquincentennial of the United States.
Thank you for your patience, generosity, and support for the forecourt project. This work is part of our shared commitment to ensure that every person can enter this sacred space with dignity and joy.