For over seven years we were worried about the safety of using the rusting iron fire escape from the pre-school on the top floor to the floor below.  It was also an increasingly ugly blight on the beauty of the cemetery.

After a six-month, sometimes spirited discussion with the county, we were honored by the Chief Building Official, Shahriar Amiri, visiting the Chapel with five of his staff to review our needs and concerns.  The visit was exceptionally productive and in short order, we were granted the needed permits to take the rusting hulk down.

A request for proposals was sent out to a half-dozen companies to remove the fire escape and seal up the top-floor doorway.  Return bids ranged from $12,500 to $17,800.   Then a small gutter and downspout firm in Washington, DC, came, looked at the task, and bid $700 for removal of the fire escape.  We coupled the task with the needed work on the building with a current contractor and found we were not only able to do all the work but also include replacing an interior door with a fire-rated door, complete all interior work, paint the entire north-facing side of the building, paint the cemetery wall and gate, and place a huge cross in the old top-floor doorway for less than half of the prior low bidder’s quote.