Cathedral towers undergoing restoration

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany has a new, albeit temporary, feature these days: a sidewalk bridge to protect pedestrians from loose stones until restoration of the steeples and towers is complete.

Erected by Albany Ladder, the covered bridge runs alongside the Cathedral on Jefferson Street and Madison Avenue, and across the building's front on Eagle Street.

The protection has been installed during the past few weeks in order to shield people from stones that could fall from the towers and steeples; it will remain in place throughout the restoration process, according to Rev. William Pape, rector.

Renewal

Restoration work will involve repairing or replacing loose stones in the Cathedral's two towers. One is made of brownstone from a quarry in Pollard, Conn.; the other tower has a brick core with a brownstone veneer.

Although construction of the church was completed in 1852, the towers came later. The tower closest to Madison Avenue was built during the early 1860s and features 10 bells cast at a Watervliet bell foundry; the tower closest to Jefferson Street was built during the late 1880s.

Stones from the towers and their 210-foot steeples have gradually been deteriorating and coming loose over the years. A stone survey was conducted by Vertical Access last summer to determine the extent of the damage and the necessary repair work; workers found numerous stones that had broken away or become loose.

Preservation

Architects from the Albany firm of John Mesick: Cohen, Wilson, Baker are working in conjunction with experts in stonecutting and historic preservation to decide how the restoration should proceed. Some stones will be replaced entirely; others will be partially scraped away and an epoxy applied to fill in the spaces.

Among the stones being considered for use are various forms of brownstone, including German, Nova Scotia and Indiana varieties; a Colorado rose stone; and a stone from Ohio.

Restoration can begin once money for the project becomes available; currently, the Diocese is seeking historic preservation funds and grants from foundations to pay for the restoration, which will cost between $3 and $4 million, Father Pape estimated.

Faith of fathers

The Cathedral was the first neo-Gothic cathedral in the United States and is the third oldest in the U.S. in continuous use.

Father Pape looks forward to the restoration of the towers and steeples as part of the ongoing effort to preserve one of the Diocese's most historic buildings.

"It speaks of the faith of our forebears to have given us such a grand and beautiful cathedral," he said. "It's a wonderful gift to be able to do this work and pass it on to future generations."

(03-12-98) [[In-content Ad]]