CENTRALIA — An historic Centralia church will be going modern on Tuesday, when get a new elevator is installed on the outside of the building.

According to a press release, the public is invited to attend. The placement of the elevator will take place around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at at the First Presbyterian Church at 102 S. Hickory in Centralia.

The press release says 14 concrete steps that led into the sanctuary made it difficult, in some cases impossible, for older members and visitors to take part in services and events.

Church members knew a permanent solution was needed to solve the stair issue. However, possible fixes were limited as the church is a historic building.

The congregation was founded before the Civil War in 1856 and the current building was built sometime in the 1920s.

The solution was a new modular elevator.

It will be set exterior to the church and the completed hoistway will be covered in brick to match the rest of the church so as not to detract from the look of the historic building.

Once the elevator pit is poured and openings for the steps are made, the elevator will be craned into place and be fully functioning in less than a week. It will then be ready for inspection.