Preservation Fund

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:THE BASILICA OF ST. LAWRENCE IN ASHEVILLE, NC, IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AS A STRUCTURE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. BEYOND COMPREHENSIVELY DEMONSTRATING THE TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE PRINCIPLES, AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITIES, OF RAFAEL GUASTAVINO SR. S PATENTED COHESIVE CONSTRUCTION, IT IS DESCRIBED BY TODAYS MOST RECOGNIZED GUASTAVINO SCHOLAR AS HIS CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT IN AMERICAN BUILDING ARTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE 114-YEAR-OLD BASILICA FACES AN IMMINENT THREAT DUE TO WATER INFILTRATION. BRICK MASONRY ON THE CORNICE AND PARAPET WALLS HAS BEEN ERODED. SECTIONS OF THE MASONRY CORNICE AND PARAPET HAVE COME LOOSE, POSING A LIFE-SAFETY HAZARD. CIRCULAR STEEL TENSION RINGS ARE EMBEDDED IN THE MASONRY CORNICE OF THE EXTERIOR BRICK WALL AT THE BASE OF THE DOME TO RESIST THE OUTWARD THRUST OF THE DOME. MASONRY IS LIFTING ALONG A HORIZONTAL JOINT NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE TENSION RINGS. SUCH MOVEMENT IS A SYMPTOM OF OXIDE JACKING, INDICATING WATER HAS PENETRATED AND THE STEEL IS RUSTING. IF THE TENSION RINGS FAIL, THE ENTIRE DOME COULD COLLAPSE, THREATENING THE STABILITY OF THE COMPLETE STRUCTURE. THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO MITIGATE THE THREAT OF A FUTURE DOME COLLAPSE AT THE BASILICA OF ST. LAWRENCE.SUMMARY OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES:BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF INITIAL PROBES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE STEEL TENSION RINGS WILL NEED TO BE EXPOSED, CLEANED, AND PAINTED WITH A ZINC-RICH PROTECTIVE COATING. IF FUTURE SCHEDULED PROBES UNCOVER ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL DETERIORATION (OR THE PRESENCE OF MORE TENSION RINGS), IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REPAIR OR REINFORCE THE STEEL. AFTER STRUCTURAL REPAIRS, THE BRICK MASONRY WALL NEAR THE CORNICE WILL BE REBUILT TO ONCE AGAIN CONCEAL THE TENSION RING. THE DETERIORATED BRICK MASONRY PARAPET WALLS AND CORNICE WILL ALSO BE REBUILT AND THE SCUPPER OPENINGS REPAIRED. THE STORM WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM WILL BE REDESIGNED TO ELIMINATE FUTURE WATER INFILTRATION, WITH CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO MINIMIZING DISRUPTION OF THE HISTORIC BUILDING FABRIC AND CHARACTER-DEFINING FEATURES. MASONRY AND SCUPPER REPAIRS WILL ENSURE THAT THE STEEL TENSION RINGS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO CONTINUED WATER INFILTRATION WHICH HAS LED TO CURRENT CONDITIONS. REBUILDING THE PARAPET WALLS AND CORNICE WILL RESTORE THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING AND ALLOW REMOVAL OF THE UNSIGHTLY BLACK NYLON SAFETY NETTING SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ENJOY THIS ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE IN ITS FULL BEAUTY.PERFORMANCE GOALS INCLUDING MILESTONES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES:-REPAIR REINFORCE THE STEEL TENSION RINGS AS REQUIRED TO STABILIZE DOME-REDESIGN STORMWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM TO ELIMINATE FUTURE WATER INFILTRATION DAMAGE-REBUILD REPAIR DETERIORATING PARAPET WALLS AND CORNICE, ELIMINATING LIFE-SAFETY HAZARDS FROM FALLING MASONRY.WHO WILL BENEFIT:THE BASILICA ST. LAWRENCE IS THE KEYSTONE AT THE NORTHERN EDGE OF ASHEVILLES VIBRANT, ECLECTIC DOWNTOWN. THE PARISH REMAINS ECONOMICALLY, CULTURALLY, AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE WITH AN ENDURING COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY MINISTRIES. THE BASILICA HOSTS COUNTLESS SCOUT TROOPS, SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATIONS, AND CONCERTS. IT HAS BEEN HOME TO THE USOS WWII LAURENTINE CANTEEN, TRADITIONAL AZTEC MASSES, AND A HOMELESS SHELTER. THOUSANDS VISIT EACH WEEK TO MARVEL AT THE ENGINEERING BASK IN THE BEAUTY OF THE INTERIOR ATTEND MASS OR OTHER CEREMONIES SUCH AS WEDDINGS, FUNERALS AND BAPTISM TAKE A BREAK FROM THE ELEMENTS OR SIMPLY SIT IN QUIET SOLITUDE AND REFLECTION.IT ENDURES AS A DOWNTOWN ANCHOR AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FABRIC OF ASHEVILLE. A 2021 STUDY ESTIMATED THE BASILICAS ANNUAL IMPACT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY AT OVER $33 MILLION. PRESERVING THIS TREASURE IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE IS A SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL IMPERATIVE.

HEIRLOOM CACAO PRESERVATION FUND (HCP) WILL DESIGNATE AT A MINIMUM THREECOLOMBIAN CACAO VARIETIES AS HEIRLOOM CACAO TO PROVIDE U.S. FINECHOCOLATE MAKERS WITH A NEW DIFFERENTIATOR FOR THEIR FINE CHOCOLATEPRODUCTS. HCP WILL ALSO CREATE NURSERIES AND CONNECT FARMERS TO BUYERS.

PAOLI BATTLEFIELD DOCUMENTATION UPDATE

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