Restoration done at Monongahela Cemetery chapel

By ERIC SEIVERLING

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

After standing for more than a century, the chapel at Monongahela Cemetery was beginning to show its age.

But thanks to the generosity of the local community and the hard work of officials and contractors, the chapel has undergone a restoration and renovation that should make it worthy of its historic landmark designation for many more years to come.

Visitors to the chapel will notice new carpentry and restoration of missing wood moldings in the ceiling and baseboard areas, painting of the historic ceiling, installation of a new engineered flooring, electrical work including six new pendant lights added in place of the current recessed lights, electrical outlets added at the baseboard and insulation being installed.

Other projects completed recently include the installation of plumbing and a restroom, the opening of the original brick fireplace, the installation of new front doors, the installation of new windows at the front of the chapel, the addition of new carpet and chairs and new blacktop paving outside the chapel, according to Monongahela Cemetery Board President Richard Bucchianeri.

A new roof and an HVAC system had been installed in the chapel previously.

According to Bucchianeri, funding for the project came from two sources: a $60,000 Local Share Account grant from Washington County’s gaming tax revenue and $90,000 in contributions from community donors.

“The community was very generous,” Bucchianeri said. “We contacted local organizations and everyone was very caring and generous.”

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