Just two months after receiving recognition as a National Historic Landmark, the Wayfarers Chapel in Ranchos Palos Verdes announced Feb. 15 both its chapel and grounds are closed until further notice, due to “accelerated” land movement.
The announcement came after heavy rainfall in the last two winters has contributed to significant ground movement in the last 15 months, according to the city officials, in the coastal city where homes are built atop ancient landslide ruins.
The chapel is a popular wedding venue thanks to its unique glass walls and ceilings, supported by a redwood frame and stone base, with trees seen clearly through its glass roof. It was designed by architect Lloyd Wright in 1951, son of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Ranchos Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank told The Epoch Times the closure is a loss for the community.
“I’ve attended weddings there at the Wayfarers Chapel. … I had someone that I worked for actually get married there. … It has a lot of consequences to me and our entire city council because it is a big part of our community,” he said.
Mr. Cruikshank said the city is seeking help from the state regarding the land movement at the site.
A city building inspector recently inspected the grounds and found shattered glass windows and distressed points in the building, he said, but not enough for yellow- or red-tagging the property.
The decision to close for repairs was made by the chapel’s board of directors, according to Mr. Cruikshank.
“The City stands ready to support Wayfarers Chapel in any way possible to safely reopen this sacred space to the community,” reads a statement on the city’s website.
Mr. Cruikshank said the city plans in their upcoming city council meeting to ask Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare an emergency for the city due to slow-moving landslides. City officials declared their own local emergency last year, which has been extended until April 6.
The emergency declaration would help city officials bypass certain environmental regulations and provide funding and resources for land movement damages, according to the mayor.
“Our city has several hundred acres of land that’s moving … and right now we’re trying to get work done and we need resources, we need some of the environmental CEQA rules to be relaxed so we can actually do some things to slow the rate of movement,” he said.
The issue comes as water continues to collect deep underground, which has accelerated with recent storms, according to the city’s website.
Those with confirmed reservations at the chapel will be notified about refunds, according to the church’s website.
