What’s with the scaffolding around Catholic cathedral? Details on $12 million project
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Wichita cathedral undergoing $12M restoration, replacing 113-year-old copper domes
- Project includes stained glass re-leading, LED lighting, and dome replication
- Parishioners raised funds; completion expected by cathedral’s 2027 centennial
For more than 100 years, the copper domes of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception have greeted parishioners and visitors, signaling the sacred space from afar and establishing the church as a Wichita landmark.
Now, the final resting place of Father Emil Kapaun and the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita is undergoing much-needed repairs. In June, the diocese kicked off a 27-month-long project to preserve the structure and the spirit of the cathedral for years to come.
“It’ll definitely stand out,” said Matthew Vainer, the Catholic Diocese of Wichita’s director of communications.
The $12 million restoration project at the cathedral will include the replacement of the three aging domes, the installation of LED lights to illuminate the new copper dome cupolas, the re-leading of stained glass windows and other improvements.
Completed in 1912, the cathedral at Central and Broadway is one of Wichita’s oldest churches and serves as the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. It has stained glass windows and Italian brass doors and hosts daily masses and other events under its three copper hemispheres.
‘A grassroots effort’ to replace cathedral’s domes
The original domes — installed 113 years ago — have a longevity of 100 years, making their replacement “quite a bit overdue,” according to Mike Wescott, director of the diocese’s office of Development and Planned Giving.
Over the years, as environmental factors have taken their toll, Wescott said, repairs on the domes have created a mosaic of mismatched colors and patches.
“As there were leaks, or, you know, disintegration in certain parts, we would just kind of patchwork them up,” Wescott said. “And it kind of looks like a patchwork quilt, if you get up really close to it.”
Renovations inside the cathedral, completed in 2013, provided further incentive for church leaders to address the domes’ failing condition to better preserve the interior.
After three years of planning and two years of fundraising as part of the diocese’s “One Family, Fully Alive in Christ!” campaign, Wescott said, the parish has raised enough money to begin replacing the domes, as well as re-leading the church’s stained glass windows. Although there were some big donors, Wescott said the campaign was largely driven by parishioners.
He said the fundraiser was unlike any the diocese has ever done, and it’s been heartening to see the community’s support.
“To see the participation of the people in the campaign has just been really inspiring,” Wescott said.
How cathedral’s domes will be replaced
Over the last month, construction crews have built nearly 50 feet in scaffolding around the exterior of the largest dome. That dome, Vainer said, will be replaced on site, piece by piece.
“You won’t actually see that one be fully removed,” Vainer said.
After the largest dome is replaced, the scaffolding will be disassembled and reinstalled around the two smaller domes. Those roofs will be completely removed and replaced.
All of the domes, Vainer said, will retain the same look and style as the originals. That work is being coordinated by Renaissance Historic Exteriors, a roofing contractor that specializes in historic property restoration and repair.
Vainer said the decision to replicate the molding and design of the original domes was made to preserve the well-known style and look of the domes that Catholics and Wichitans have come to know and love.
“Historically, they’re trying to replicate exactly what was up there before,” Vainer said. “I think just kind of keeping its consistency and just kind of the beauty of the cathedral, because it is the house of the bishop, so I think just keeping it consistent and the way it was preserved just kind of shows the length and longevity that’s been here.”
Construction, spearheaded by Simpson Construction Services, Quinn Evans and Dudley Williams & Associates, began in June. Estimates now place the cost of the work “a little bit north of $12 million,” but not by much, Wescott said. The cathedral plans to take advantage of the recently installed scaffolding to make other repairs and improvements, like the installation of exterior lighting.
“It will look like a bright, shiny penny, and then it’ll actually have the LED lighting to help light the dome, as well,” Vainer said. “So at night, you’ll be able to see the domes, and they’ll be beautiful.”
Service changes, firefighter training during construction
Vainer also said that passers-by shouldn’t be concerned if they see fire trucks nearby or firefighters scaling the scaffolding in the weeks leading up to the large dome’s replacement. Members of the Wichita Fire Department are taking advantage of the scaffolding as a unique training opportunity.
“(They’re doing drills there just in case) if something were to happen,” Vainer said. “But I also think just having the opportunity to go through that process of, like, what do we do in these types of situations.”
Because of the construction, the cathedral has had to alter how it hosts some of its events and services. For the foreseeable future, the church will be closed to visitors during the week while construction crews are working. Weekday Mass will be held in Good Shepherd Hall, while the cathedral will remain open for weekend Mass. Updates on the availability of services are on the cathedral’s website.
The project should conclude in September 2027. The renovations are critical to the integrity of the church, but Wescott said the project is also an achievement for the city itself.
“We think this is a big project for Wichita, and we’re excited … to unveil it,” Wescott said. “I think you’re going to be impressed.”
