When Saint Nicholas Cathedral was built in the mid-1930s, the group of builders fell short on time and the church’s entryway didn’t end up being built according to plan. 80 years later, the Capitol Hill Russian Orthodox congregation plans to revamp the cathedral entrance in the spirit of the building’s original design.

Today, the structure’s entrance sits under a covered porch with stairs that run straight into the church from the street. The new design includes two staircases that each run parallel to the street, similar to the layout of South Lake Union’s Saint Spiridon Orthodox Cathedral.

“Nothing is going to change with the domes or walls,” said the project’s architect Arthur Adamov. “Visually it’s not going to be a big difference.”

Adamov said the new design will allow for more space in the cathedral’s entrance, as well as allowing the congregation to install new air conditioning systems.

Fr. Alex Kotar said the congregation hopes to have the construction finished this fall.