Dubbya and Crankydave -- much thanks for your advice and suggestions.

I will re-evaluate the method we go about updating our site with the web team again...though it may ultimately be easier for us to redesign the site by making a completely new one to replace the old, like you said, the key to not triggering the wrath of the SEs is to make slow, methodical changes.

I'm sure if we take the time we can integrate the new with the old and mix the CSS, coding and navigation.