ASHEVILLE — Scaffolding around St. Lawrence Basilica is creating a buzz as work begins on the first phase of renovations – which ultimately could cost more than $30 million – to restore the 116-year-old iconic structure perched on a hill in downtown Asheville.
A kickoff event is set for 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17, and the public is invited to hear more about the landmark that has inspired generations of residents, visitors and parishioners with its elaborate tile work and Spanish Renaissance architecture.
Designed by renowned architect Rafael Guastavino, the basilica is listed on the National Register for Historic Places and is known for its large elliptical dome – one of the largest of its kind in North America – and for its Catalan vaulting and construction using Guastavino's signature tile and masonry technique.
“We’re getting calls from people excited and wondering about what’s going on,” says Mary Everist, a parishioner and president of the Basilica Preservation Fund. “St. Lawrence Basilica is a national treasure. It is a spiritual home and a place of beauty and peace for Catholics, travelers and people of all faiths or no faith. This restoration will help ensure we can pass that legacy on.”
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 project, which includes replacing the copper-clad roof on the basilica’s dome, new storm drains, measures to stop water intrusion and repair of damage from Tropical Storm Helene.
Work also will include replacement of gutters and cornices around the dome, repairs to the oculus skylight and stabilizing masonry over the western chapel.
The first of the three phases is expected to take a year, but the full restoration will stretch over many years as fundraising continues. Future phases will include repairs to the tile and other interior areas, restoration of windows, upgrades to the HVAC system and ADA improvements.
“This project has taken years of planning, fundraising, research and consultation,” Everist said. “You can’t just call in a roofer for a building like this because of its architectural, historical and cultural significance.”
Friday’s kickoff coincides with the anniversary of the basilica’s 1909 dedication and will include a reception with historical displays and drone footage, as well as a special prayer and music written by Guastavino himself, who studied music before architecture.
Guastavino's architecture work can also 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.
— Christina Lee Knauss
