Wayfarers Chapel, the iconic glass-and-redwood sanctuary on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, may be dismantled and moved to a new location, officials said recently, several weeks after the Frank Lloyd Wright Jr.-designed church closed its doors to the public because of land movement.
The relocation plan was formed in the last few weeks by the chapel’s 10-member board of directors, Executive Director Dan Burchett said in a Wednesday, April 10, interview.
Although the goal is to keep the architectural gem on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Burchett said, he has received offers of land as far away as San Jose for a potential relocation.
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
The historic Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes has closed because of ongoing land movement exacerbated by the recent heavy rains. Executive Director Dan Burchett walks the grounds Wednesday April 10, 2024. (Photo by Contributing Photographer Chuck Bennett)
Wayfarers Chapel’s foundation is breaking apart, Burchett said, with water running underneath. A retaining wall outside the chapel is split wide open. Portions of stone walkways are cracked. The parking lot is a hilly heap of blacktop. And so far, there are 12 broken panes of glass, one of which has completely fallen onto the chapel’s roof.
Looking around the grounds, Burchett said the day after he moved out of the office building on the site, things are “just unsettling.” That office building, constructed in 2020, will likely be red-tagged in the coming weeks, said RPV spokesperson Megan Barnes.
“It has been exhausting and sad and all kinds of things,” said Burchett, who spent the better part of his 24 years at Wayfarers as an officiant. He’s been in charge of administration since 2018.
As the land beneath the lot continues to shift, Burchett said, he fears it will be impossible to rebuild the chapel where it stands. The ground is just too unstable.
If the beloved chapel were to be relocated, its steel and wood bents would be deconstructed and catalogued, and saved to be erected somewhere else, Burchett said. All the glass would have to be replaced with safety glass, he added.
No matter where a resurrected Wayfarers winds up, though, church officials will want to ensure they maintain historical and architectural integrity, Burchett said. Other requirements include an ocean view and a healthy grove of trees.
The current campus contains nearly 20 stone pine trees that encase the glass chapel and a grove of redwoods.
But, Burchett said, they are unlikely to find a site with that type of vegetation and trees.
“We will build where we have no trees and we will plant trees,” Burchett said.
And they’ll wait for decades for them to grow.
But aquiring a new site and the painstaking process of deconstructing an icon requires money. Before the land movement shuttered the popular venue, Wayfarers was already eyeing a more than $10 million restoration, Rev. David Brown said in a previous interview.
Burchett and the board of directors have yet to meet with RPV officials, he said. But they plan to reach out to RPV and community organizations soon to lay out a path forward for Wayfarers, he said.
The city, for its part, welcomes discussions, Barnes said.
“We treasure Wayfarers Chapel,” Barnes said in a Tuesday interview, “and we’re here to support their leadership as they go through this difficult time.”
So far, the church has received about $70,000 in an online fundraising effort it launched soon after it shuttered in February. They are also looking at getting help from organizations dedicated to maintaining buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright — the more well-known father of Wayfarers’ architect — Burchett said.
An architect with ties to a Northern California foundation dedicated to the elder Wright has offered 30 acres of land south of San Jose as a site for a reconstructed Wayfarers, Burchett said. They’ve also received offers of land from the central coast and from an out-of-state landowner, he added.
“We’re pursuing every avenue that we can,” Burchett said.
So Burchett and the board hope the provenance of Wayfarers and its recent designation as a historial landmark will help bolster its cause.
“This is going to be a complex and costly venture,” Burchett said. “We just don’t have the funds without community involvement.”
With construction costs skyrocketing after the pandemic and with inflation, Burchett said, there’s just no realistic way of measuring what the actual cost would be.
“It would be a miracle,” Burchett said, “to have someone gift us the land.”
As a religious organization, Wayfarers is tax exempt. But, he said, even after reducing his staff from 19 employees to five, there are, of course, still bills to pay. Probably more than 95% of Wayfarers’ operating revenue came from rental fees, Burchett said, for what he called celebration-of-life ceremonies — such as baptisms, weddings and memorials.
Now, with the chapel closed and crumbling, all that is gone.
But, Burchett said, he and the board are committed to ensuring the chapel and its legacy live on.
“We recognize what this chapel means to the community,” he said, “and we are not giving up on the dream.”
