Asheville Citizen-Times Article, 8/5/2005

Nearby construction may rattle Asheville’s historic Basilica

by John Boyle, SENIOR WRITER
published August 5, 2005 6:00 am

ASHEVILLE — After nearly a century of anchoring its corner of downtown Asheville, the Basilica of St. Lawrence is still in excellent condition.

But members of the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County are concerned that upcoming construction on a new city parking deck across Haywood Street could cause permanent damage to the National Historic Landmark.

“We noticed that when the city was digging up the old streetcar tracks on Haywood Street a couple of years ago, the place was shaking, and that was only from a trackhoe,” said Bill Wescott, outgoing president of the Preservation Society. “We want to know what we need to do to make sure it won’t be damaged.”

The church has hired Illinois-based Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc., to conduct a $30,000 diagnostic assessment of the building. The firm, working with Preservation Trades Inc. of Huntley, Va., also is installing gauges to monitor cracks inside the basilica.

The gauges can detect cracking to within 1/1,000th of an inch. Bud Hansbury, maintenance operations manager for St. Lawrence, said the gauges will help the church assess repair needs.

On Thursday, Tim Crowe, an architectural engineer with WJE, described the brick basilica as a “great building” that’s in very good condition. The final achievement of the Spanish-born architect Rafael Guastavino, the basilica was completed in 1908 and features the largest elliptical, unsupported dome in the United States. Guastavino, whose crypt is inside the church, was known for intricate, interlocking ceiling tiles.

Although it’s structurally sound, the church does have several large cracks in the dome tiles inside, and its copper roof and intricate drainage system have some leaks. Vibrations from the parking deck construction could pose a new threat. WJE’s study will be finished in about a month.

In December, Asheville City Council approved construction of the $20.8 million, 650-space parking garage.

Construction, initially slated to begin this fall, likely won’t start until next spring, said Asheville City Engineer Cathy Ball.

“It’s a high priority for us to make sure the (garage construction) does not in any way impact the church,” Ball said, adding that footings likely will not have to be dug as deep as originally thought.

Wescott, who lists the basilica as one of Asheville’s top three historic buildings (with the Biltmore Estate and City Hall), says several groups are working on petitions to have the city reconsider the size and scope of the garage, and to consider an alternate location next to the BellSouth building.

Contact Boyle at 232-5847 or jboyle@CITIZEN-TIMES.com.