Massive restoration begins for North Carolina basilica, 'a gem of the architectural world'

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (OSV News) -- Spiraling organ and choral music ushered in a new era for St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville Oct. 17 at a ceremony to kickstart a massive restoration project for the historic building.

About 150 parishioners and members of the public gathered for a "Restoration Celebration" featuring speeches, prayer, tours and performance of a choral work composed by renowned Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino Sr., who designed and supervised the construction of the 116-year-old basilica and is buried inside it.

Perched on a hill in the middle of downtown Asheville, St. Lawrence Basilica is a beloved landmark for the city and the Diocese of Charlotte, and among architects and historians. The basilica is on the National Register of Historic Places and is known for its large elliptical dome -- one of the largest of its kind in North America -- as well as Catalan vaulting using Guastavino's signature tile and masonry technique.

"The basilica is one of the most important churches in the United States," Shannon Brown, project manager with New York-based John G. Waite Associates, told the Catholic News Herald, Charlotte's diocesan news outlet. The Waite firm was selected as the architect for the restoration project because of its extensive experience in historic preservation.

"There's a renewed appreciation for traditional Catholic architecture, and there's really no other church like this," said Brown, who flies to Asheville from New York every two weeks to be on site. "It's a gem of the architectural world."

Parishioners and donors from around the country have raised more than $6.4 million of $7.7 million needed for the first phase of the restoration, which will include replacing the copper-clad roof on the basilica's famous dome, installing new storm drains and other measures to stop water intrusion, and repairing damage from Tropical Storm Helene.

Work also will include replacing gutters and cornices around the dome, repairing the oculus skylight and stabilizing masonry over one of the side chapels.

"This took 15 years of planning, fundraising, research and consultation because you can't just call in a roofer for this building because of its architectural, historical and cultural importance," said Mary Everist, parishioner and president of the Basilica Preservation Fund, a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to preserve the basilica and its unique art and architecture.

This first of three phases will take about a year, but the full restoration will stretch over many years as fundraising continues and could eventually cost an estimated $30 million.

In September 2024, the basilica was awarded a $750,000 "Save America's Treasures" grant from the National Park Service to go toward the renovations.

As Aaron Ernst, senior project manager for North Carolina-based project contractor Blum Construction, explained, "It's not just a building, it's a living work of art. Every brick, every tile carries with it a legacy."

Guastavino's tiled vaulting designs can be seen at Carnegie Hall, Ellis Island, Grant's Tomb and Grand Central Station in New York City, earning him the nickname "the architect of New York," and at other locations around the country.

In Asheville, Guastavino created an irreplaceable architectural landmark, according to Anne Chesky, former director of the Asheville Museum of History and a member of the Guastavino Alliance, a group dedicated to promoting and preserving his legacy.

"The building represents an earlier era of Asheville history, and it's anchored there in the center of the city," Chesky said. "It's a very special building from the outside, and the interior has that grandeur to it, but still feels intimate somehow."

The Oct. 17 celebration had that same feel, with people quietly appreciating the beauty of the space. One highlight was hearing the performance of a Sanctus and Hosanna composed by Guastavino. He was composing a Mass for the basilica's dedication at the time of his death in 1908.

Since it was completed in 1909, the basilica has been an important witness of the faith in a region which didn't have many Catholics.

"We're right downtown, which is such a great evangelistic presence," said Monsignor Roger Arnsparger, St. Lawrence's pastor and rector. "Sometimes visitors, especially young people, will come to see it and end up inquiring on how they can become Catholic."

Everist told those gathered she met a group from Germany just minutes before the celebration started.

"People come in and they're amazed. You can watch their jaws drop. They go silent," she said. "You look up at that dome and feel the presence of God. It's not only an amazing architectural treasure, but an amazing way to spread the word of the Catholic faith."