More than 100 donors, supporters and staff gathered inside the shell of Christ Cathedral on May 23 for the ceremony marking the official signing of the contract between the Diocese of Orange and contractor Snyder Langston, another milestone in the renovation of the cathedral. Snyder Langston becomes the general contractor for the renovation of the worship space of Christ Cathedral, as well as the lower level of the cathedral.
According to Father Christopher Smith, rector for Christ Cathedral, the conceptual and design phases are now completed. “This phase, of signing the contract with the contractors, actually begins the nuts and bolts building, which will begin on June 1.” Construction of the sanctuary should be complete in Oct. 2018, he said. The installation of the organ will follow and the dedication of the cathedral is planned for mid-2019.
The selection committee chose Snyder Langston with a unanimous vote, says Richard Heim, special advisor to the Bishop and chairman of the Oversight Committee. “It was unanimous – they had local presence and local knowledge of subcontractor community…we’re now excited to be moving ahead.”
John Rochford, president of Snyder Langston, said his firm is pleased to be a part of the project. “One third of O.C. residents are Catholic,” Rochford said, “and so we should have a great facility and a great cathedral.”