Church Restoration 1992
This historic church in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood lost its steeple and suffered extensive damage to its roof during a severe storm on December 11, 1991. The steeple actually landed right on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, closing the span for three days. A fifty-foot chasm opened in the church's roof subjecting many priceless paintings and murals on the ceiling to water damage. Brawer Hauptman + Larkin documented the design of a new terne-coated stainless steel standing seam roof and researched and documented the design of its new steeple. The steeple, originally designed by Napoleon LeBrun, the architect for the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, was replicated in aluminum and was set in place in time for the church’s bicentennial. Following the exterior restoration, BH+L was commissioned to restore the Church’s interior. Damaged plaster walls, ceilings and details were restored, as were all paintings, stencils, woodwork and marble. The paint colors were restored to their turn-of-the-century appearance. The Church was made handicapped accessible.
This project won the Philadelphia Preservation Coalition Award and the Commerce Bank/Philadelphia Business Journal Design Excellence Award.
