Preserving an icon

King Chapel remains under repair following major damage from hurricane-force winds during a derecho on Aug. 10, the 2020. The college has enlisted regional, North American, and global firms to rebuild, including a forensic engineering firm, architects and masonry firms with expertise in historic restoration, and stained glass specialists. 

Following months of investigation and stabilization, in May 2024 heavy equipment arrived on the Hilltop to start external repair work, and at the end of the month three survey towers were installed that use lasers to measure the positions of hundreds of small reflector targets on the exterior of the building. This system gives the construction crew real-time data on the stabilization of the building and will inform them if it’s moving in a way that would impact repairs or safety.

June 11, 2026 update

Progress, pace, and the path ahead for King Chapel

This week Cornell College reached a significant milestone in the effort to restore and reopen King Chapel. We are thrilled to share that FEMA Emergency Stabilization funding was approved. These funds will pass through the state of Iowa to Cornell and allow us to cover stabilization work already completed—work that has been essential to protecting the building while longer-term plans move forward. It also allows us to schedule and undertake additional work in this phase of the project.

As we have worked through this process, we have had extended negotiations regarding an insurance settlement, we’ve learned a great deal about historic building rehabilitation, refined our plans, and navigated the complex requirements of the multiple agencies involved in this process.

We know progress can feel slow, but our commitment has not changed: King Chapel will be restored. The timeline depends on processes we can influence, but not control, and we will continue to share updates when we have firm information. While there are additional FEMA submissions to be reviewed and approved for us to complete this restoration, we are excited by this tremendous progress.

We are grateful to our partners at FEMA and the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, as well as our elected leaders, for their support in this endeavor.

Media interested in updates on the repair progress may email kc_renovation@cornellcollege.edu