Spire removed as renovations continue at St. Andrew's Catholic Church

Drive by on I-581, and you can see something's missing from the roof of St. Andrew's Catholic Church.

Earlier this week, crews detached the back spire, lifted it from the roof with a large crane and gently lowered it to the ground.

And It will remain there, while craftsmen replace the slate, copper, cross and lightning protection.

"So all of that will be much easier on the ground," said Facilities Maintenance Coordinator Wayne Gould. "The scaffolding is around it now. The protection from the weather elements is there in place. So hopefully in six to eight weeks we'll be taking it back up."

Soon, the Durable Restoration Company and its subcontractors will finish exterior renovations. Then the work will move inside, where water damage has taken its toll.

The church is closing in on its fundraising goal, and Father Kevin Segerblom says that should mean the work will be completed without additional debt.

"I'm amazed at it and other people are as well," Seberblom told WDBJ7. "But it just goes to show you that people really do love this church and want to make sure that we're taking care of it."

After years of major renovations, the end is now in sight.

The church hopes to have all the work, inside and out, completed by September, in time for a mass celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.