Galbreath Chapel officially re-opened its doors Tuesday evening after undergoing a nearly two-year renovation.
The chapel, originally built in 1957, closed in December 2011 for safety reasons said Dustin Kilgour, executive director of Baker University Center and Event Services.
“One of the main issues was the roof of the Chapel,“ Kilgour said. “It was collapsing and leaking. We also wanted to make the building ADA compliant. The building was not accessible before the renovation.”
The decision to close the chapel kicked off a $1.25 million renovation project. Construction began February 2013.
“All of the paint and floors were redone and our upholstery shop repaired many of the seat cushions because they were torn,“ said Christine Sheets, assistant vice president of Facilities and Capital Planning for Student Affairs.
Among those present at Tuesday’s reopening was Marie White, the first person to ever be married in Galbreath Chapel.
Despite the changes that the building has undergone, White said it still feels like the space she remembers when she had her ceremony there in June 1958.
“It looks different because the paint is new and the roof isn’t leaking,” White said. “But it still feels like the space I got married in.”
Event Services is accepting reservations for the space. An event is already booked for Jan. 5, said Caitlin Barnhardt, associate director of Event Management.
A fee to use the space hasn’t been determined yet, Kilgour said.
Galbreath will be open for a few hours each day for open prayer.
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