ON MARCH 3, Mishkon submitted a grant proposal to the National Fund for Sacred Places, which I helped to write. If awarded, the grant would provide a 1:1 match of funds, namely half of the estimated $186K needed to rebuild the glazing in the 12 exposed windows, and to overhaul their frames and hardware, in our historic sanctuary building.
IN HONOR OF the High Holy Days, most of the brass fixtures in the sanctuary have now been professionally polished. This includes the door pulls and push plates between the lobby and the sanctuary, and on restroom doors. The difference will be immediately evident when you walk in.
And in a nod to the value of preventive maintenance, a protective clear coat has been added to those items, so as to preserve their shine.
Some other brass fixtures in the sanctuary, such as the banisters leading to the bimah, were manually polished. They will continue to need repolishing each year (but see below).
NOMENCLATURE: The Historic Structure Report (2003), in its cataloging of our sanctuary building’s architectural features, most often employs the term copper alloy rather than “brass.” The more general term is preferred in preservation and museum circles as a matter of accuracy. That is, the term “brass” is seen as possibly misleading because of the widely varying proportions of its ingredients (usually copper and zinc, but sometimes also other elements), which can shade into bronze, which is likewise a copper alloy. But in this blog I will continue to use the more common and informal term.
PRESERVATION TIP: The salty air in our ocean-adjacent location means that our brass tarnishes relatively quickly. Yet for brass items that are not meant to be touched (such as the chandeliers in the Social Hall), there is a relatively easy hack: After polishing such items, rub them with a cloth that has been sprayed with WD-40. The resulting thin layer of that lubricant will help to protect the brass over time.
(Indeed, it is said that WD-40 can also be used as brass polish, by spraying it on the metal and letting it sit for 15 minutes or so, and then rubbing it off.)
CONTACT INFO: The vendor that polished and coated our brass items was: V&M Metal Polishing (Chatsworth), vmmetalpolishing@gmail.com 818-632-0603, "ask for Vidal.”
APPRECIATION: Thank you to Carole Stein and Ginni Rosenfeld for this round of brass polishing! Long may it shine!
CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES of our historic sanctuary building were identified in the Historic Structure Report (2003; “HSR”). These are the aspects that warrant historic preservation, in the eyes of architectural historians.
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CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES of our historic sanctuary building were identified in the Historic Structure Report (2003; “HSR”). These are the aspects that warrant historic preservation, in the eyes of architectural historians.
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THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR is the only entrance to (and exit from) our historic sanctuary that works for someone in a wheelchair. Yet that success is mixed: It relies upon employing portable aluminum ramps that are placed at a steep (and thus rather unsafe) angle. And making it work requires careful attention from at least a couple of people at a time.
Surely we can do better than this! Therefore I am planning to propose to the board that we engage an architect to design a solution for us.
Below the jump, this post lists the criteria for a proposed project to improve the level of accessibility through this corridor. It also touches on the role of an architect in this project’s success.
As we begin to prepare for a (series of) rehabilitation projects in the sanctuary building’s basement, it’s worth thinking carefully about fire safety. Surely we wish to ensure that our plans will satisfy City officials. Furthermore, we also want to see that the construction work itself doesn’t start any fires.
Helpfully, a section of our Historic Structure Report (2003) is devoted to these topics. It quotes from two documents by the National Fire Protection Association, titled “Recommended Practice for Fire Protection in Historic Structures” and “Standard for the Protection of Cultural Resources Including…Places of Worship.” Below the jump, this post will share some highlights from that section.…
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS that came up during a recent planning tour of the premises was: “How is Mishkon expected to trade off the competing considerations between making the building more accessible to mobility-challenged persons and preserving it as a historic-cultural monument? What do the relevant laws, codes, and preservation guidelines tell us?”
When questions like this arise, I consult the Historic Structure Report (“HSR”; 2003), because that is exactly what an HSR is for. As the National Park Service noted in 1991, “Historic Structure Reports are reference documents for the purpose of minimizing the loss of significant [historic] fabric during restoration or rehabilitation work.”
Below the jump, this post summarizes what our HSR has to say on the matter.
DURING THE ANNUAL termite inspection on August 30, 2022, our inspector came across a crawl space below the southeast exit corridor (connecting the sanctuary with the play yard) and above the ceiling of the mechanical rooms in the corner of the Social Hall. He spied a badly damaged floor joist, as shown in the photo below — and described at the end of a post I made at the time.
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| (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.) |
We promptly treated it so as to arrest its deterioration. However, we were unable to see or reach its easternmost end (as would be needed in order to replace the joist), due to the presence of a large metal duct that was blocking access.
Yesterday, Ruben and I figured out another way to get to that previously inaccessible corner of our building. Below the jump, this post describes what we did, and what we found.…
YES, WE HAVE a grand, multi-year plan for the rehabilitation of Mishkon’s facilities. It is based on the 2003 Historic Structure Report, which offered us a list of priorities largely from a restoration perspective, and the 2019 Property Condition Assessment, which suggested measures based on a standard facilities management perspective.
In the 2003 Historic Structure Report (HSR), our consultant’s recommendations included a pair of observations that are germane to the planned modifications to the women’s restroom on the sanctuary level.
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| (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.) |
Below the jump, I excerpt from their observations on the topics of Accessibility and of Compliance with Health and Safety Codes.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS prepared one of the modules in the 2003 Historic Structure Report (HSR). Among other things, it assessed the sanctuary’s seismic integrity and offered a plan for improvement.
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| (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.) |
Below the jump, this post summarizes the seismic portion of the structural module, in light of more recent developments, while ending with a recommended plan for the future. That is, it compiles and updates my various prior posts about seismic issues.
WE ARE GETTING CLOSE to applying new surface finishes to our sanctuary’s outer south wall, and to our main sanctuary hall. Which leads to a question: What should their surface colors be?
WE MISHKON MEMBERS can easily convince ourselves that (nearly) everything at the synagogue is being taken care of. After all, we have paid staff. We have devoted officers and directors and committees. We even have eager ad-hoc volunteers for cleaning up after Kiddush lunches.
Nonetheless, there are significant gaps in what is being attended to. Wouldn’t you like to know what those gaps are?
This post lays out some of Mishkon’s needs for your energy and acumen, as they relate to B&G concerns. Perhaps you or someone you know would thrive from being engaged in these matters! 🤔
WHAT’S THE CONFIGURATION of the heating/cooling system in our sanctuary?
This post gives you a basic picture, through verbal description and photos.…
THIS POST gives you access to my 4-page summary of the Historic Structure Report (2003), a still-valuable yet little-known work that was prepared for Mishkon by a cadre of experts. Click HERE for the PDF file.
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TODAY I took another look at a key section of the Historic Structure Report (HSR), namely its comprehensive analysis of the mechanical (air handling) system in the Social Hall, as of 20 years ago. Potentially good news there, with regard to our being able to provide decent ventilation in the era of covid-19, at least when the weather is mild. It may be practical for us to safely use the room, after all!
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| (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.) |
What I hadn’t realized before is that even though the Social Hall’s furnace no longer works, the supply fan might still be able to provide ventilation to the hall and kitchen.
MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL ARTWORK from 1948 is currently hidden behind two coats of paint in our sanctuary. However, it is the intent of our most preservation-oriented member that those decorations be uncovered in a future restoration effort. In the meantime, let’s take care not to damage them further!
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| Detail from underneath the Decalogue frieze, as seen in a 1948 photo (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.) |
This post recaps what is known from the 2003 Historic Structure Report (HSR) and from old photographs. Let’s start with the photos.…
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| Architect’s early rendering (As usual, click/tap on an image to enlarge it.) |
INTERIOR Gross Usable Area = Large Classroom + Shemesh Classroom + Library + Chapel = 1986.09 sq ft
EXTERIOR Gross Usable Area = Play yard = 1390.67 sq ft
For the measurements and calculations, based on the “School Floor Plan” as-found architectural drawing in the 2003 Historic Structure Report, see below the jump.
CLARIFYING WHAT WE PERSONALLY STAND FOR is a vital part of the High Holy Day season. Part of our answering that call can come from being a member of Mishkon. And part of what membership means is that together we wear the mantle of our local predecessors.
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| Ocean Front Walk, 1927 (courtesy of westland.net/venicehistory) |
Temple Mishkon Tephilo is both a product and a symbol of the longstanding Jewish presence in Venice and Ocean Park. So it seems timely for me to briefly recap some highlights of that local history.