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Building Overview

(The following was adapted from the text of the book published when our church building was completed in 1956.)

The Saint Sebastian Church building is in Gothic Architectural design measuring 81 feet at extreme width and 138 feet long, on a plot of ground facing 240 feet on Broad Avenue and running back 220 feet to Henry Street. The building contains a basement first story and balcony. The exterior above ground is faced with "Berea" sandstone from near Cleveland, Ohio, in variegated colors and cut in rock face. The building is trimmed in Indiana limestone. The roof is red Brittany interlocking tile over 3" gypsum slabs laid on steel purlins and trusses. The first story and balcony story floor construction is steel joists covered with concrete. The entire building is on steel, stone, and concrete construction and is fire-resistive construction throughout.

The first story contains the nave with seating for over 800 people and a non-slip ceramic tile floor laid over concrete. The ceiling is acoustical plaster over steel lath. The windows are steel and made for double glazing. There are three sets of confessionals in the rear of the nave. Wainscoat around the walls is "Rosato" marble from Italy. The nave has a radiant heating system with pipes in the floor, thermostatically controlled in individual zones. Stations of the Cross are tile and gold mosaic with moulded marble frames. The sanctuary has a floor of travertine, with borders, emblem, and wainscoat in colorful imported marble. The cornerstone is Italian Cremo set in the sanctuary wall and contains a copper box with interesting and historical documents. The main altar, side altars, and pulpit are also of selected imported marble in polished finish and rich in design and taste.   Sacristies with ceramic tile floors, recessed fluorescent lighting and connected behind the sanctuary with an ambulatory, adjoin the sanctuary.

At the front of the first story, the entrance (narthex) has a travertine floor with a marble border and base, and the wainscoat is Italian "Rosato" as in the nave. The large high recess in the wall of the narthex is made to receive a crucifix. On the west side, the old baptistry has been converted to a votive chapel. On the east side, the "cry room" has been converted to two handicapped-accessible bathrooms.

The balcony, or choir loft, can seat 50 or more people and contains the organ, piano, and choir. The balcony has a vinyl tile floor over concrete. All stairways are terrazo over concrete and have iron railings.

All doors, confessionals, seats, and miscellaneous woodwork are of selected oak and are finished in a silver gray color. All first story ceilings have rock wool fireproof insulation. On the exterior of the building, all conductors, gutters, and sheet metal are of stainless steel. The stainless steel roof tower contain electric bell chimes.