Newman Center Bells Cast

January 28, 2014

On Monday, January 27th, three of the four bells for the St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Newman Center were cast by The Verdin Company at their foundry in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The bell molds, made of sand and epoxy, were prepared over the past week. Three thousand pounds of bronze, an 80% copper and 20% tin mixture, was heated to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. The molten bronze was poured not directly from the furnace but from a smaller ladle that is easier to control. From the ladle, the bronze is then carefully poured into each of the bell molds.

After the bells have cooled, the next steps will be to break the molds, grind and polish the bells, and etch their names. 

Watch the recording of the bell pour:

More information on the St. Thomas Bells from the Verdin website:  http://www.verdin.com/special/bell-casting01-2014.php

“St. Thomas Aquinas Church expects to complete construction of their new church in late fall of 2014. The new church will be built at the same location as the old one, 16th & Q Street, which is becoming the front entrance to a growing UNL City Campus.

The church was designed by Clark Architects Collaborative 3 and McCrery Architects.

A focal point of the new church is the 200 ft. bell tower. The bell tower will feature four new bronze bells cast at Verdin’s bell foundry on January 24, 2014. The combined weight of the new bronze bells will be approximately 1,900 pounds.

The four new swinging Verdin bells will be installed by The Verdin Company —a sixth generation Catholic family business. The largest of the four bells (990 lbs.) can also ring while stationary is used for funeral tolls and hour strikes.

Once installed in the new tower a state-of-the-art bell ringing system will provide St. Thomas Aquinas with the ability to schedule and play the bells the call to worship, the daily Angelus, and hour strikes. The bells will also be used to honor the faithfully departed and to celebrate special occasions, holidays, and other special events.”

Photo Credit: Don Hartmann, The Verdin Company

PKT Subcontractor Receives Excellence in Construction Award

PKT Fraternity

PKT Fraternity

K2 Construction, geothermal subcontractor, earned a 2013 Excellence in Construction Award from the Cornhusker Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, which honors outstanding construction projects in the region. The award for "Other Specialty Construction Less than $10 Million" will be presented to K2 next month for their work on the Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

K2 Construction is currently the subcontractor providing the geothermal services for the St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Newman Center. Clark Architects is proud to be working alongside such an exemplary construction company. 

Clark Architects Announces New Team Member

Ashley_trad sm.jpg

Clark Architects Collaborative 3 is pleased to announce that intern architect Ashley Taff has joined its firm. Ashley has her bachelor's and master's in architecture, both from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, and brings five and a half years of experience. Ashley began her architectural career working with principal Kevin Clark on the following projects: St. John's Catholic Church, Lincoln; Grace Lutheran Church, Seward; and Hillcrest Evangelical Free Church, Seward. Other past projects include: Whittier Phase 2-- Office of Research and Economical Development; JPA West Haymarket Historic Canopy, Lincoln; and Cattle National Bank - Fallbrook, Lincoln. A life-long Nebraska resident, Ashley enjoys traveling and photography in her spare time.

We are excited to have Ashley share her talents with us. Welcome to the Clark team!


a year with Bishop Conley

As Bishop James Conley marks a year in the Lincoln Diocese, the Clark team reflects on what a blessing and privilege this past year has been.  It has been an honor to introduce Bishop Conley to the projects we have worked on for the Diocese. To see these buildings blessed, enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, used for liturgies (and even an ordination!) over the past year has given us a deep sense of joy. Additionally, we are thankful for all the wisdom Bishop Conley has expressed in his speaking and writings over this year. To summarize the theme of Bishop Conley's episcopacy thus far it would be "beauty." And the theological understanding of beauty has direct application to the proper design of a church. As Bl. John Paul II states in his Letter to Artists "The theme of beauty is decisive for a discourse on art . . . beauty is the visible form of the good" (3). He continues that the vocation of the artist, or architect in this case, is in the service of beauty. Indeed, beauty will save the world.

Clark Architects extends a heartfelt congratulations on marking one year in Nebraska, and we hope it is the first of many more to come.