190-year-old Tallahassee church undergoing $1.6 million historical renovation

February 18, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Years before the automobile was invented, Saint John's Episcopal Church was founded in Tallahassee.

"The church you see behind me dates to 1829," said Rector David Killeen. "The original structure burnt down and this one is from the late 1800s."

The chapel on the church campus sits on top of the original foundation and lines Monroe Street in the heart of the city.

Killeen said work on a $1.6 million historical renovation will start on the roof, with new shingles that look like the original ones. Then, masonry work will be done on the bricks. It will include cleaning them and renewing the mortar.

"To make sure the gaps in the bricks are covered," he said. "Aesthetically, it will look beautiful, but it's also to keep moisture out, which can cause damage."

The stain glass windows will be renovated to protect them from the Florida sun.

"We will be replacing the cover so that it will be ventilated so that the lead will not be worn down by the heat," he said.

Structural renovations will be done on the iconic bell tower. Killeen said specialists were brought in to help with that aspect. It is work that some locals and the church's 1,600 members said they are pleased with.

"It's really nice to walk into buildings that I know generations of people have been a part of," said David Grimes, who has been a church member for years.

The church is roughly three months into what is expected to be a year-long project. The renovations are funded through a grant from the state for historical renovation.

Killeen said the church will also be building an addition with funds from donors. Construction on that is projected to begin in late spring.

The church is still open and running normally during the process.