After an interruption of more than four years, we were delighted to have the construction crews back to continue building the abbey from May 2021 to February 2023. The latest phase of construction was the much-needed east wing of the abbey–a residence building to house the growing number of monks, as well as the chapter room, sacristy, and infirmary. Our architect Mr. William Heyer, is developing the plans of our first architect, Thomas Gordon Smith, of recent memory. Father Abbot announced this intention in a letter to friends, and again gives details on the project in another letter to friends. Below you can see the progress of the construction, and even videos by the Manhattan construction company.
Our architect, Mr. William Heyer, who faithfully continues to elaborate the plans originally drawn up by his former teacher of architecture and mentor at Notre Dame University, (Professor Thomas Gordon Smith, our first architect), drafted the details of the Chapter House Building (see illustration), which we began constructing in May 2021 and completed in February 2023.
