St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition | 20 Belvidere St | Back Bay
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
True, I suppose it would cost a bit to do, but it is something that should be considered as a long term project. One may compare it to the time to took to build some of Europe's great cathedrals; construction on the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 but it was not completed until 1880. Construction on Holy Cross began in 1866 and it was dedicated in 1875.
True, I suppose it would cost a bit to do, but it is something that should be considered as a long term project. One may compare it to the time to took to build some of Europe's great cathedrals; construction on the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248 but it was not completed until 1880. Construction on Holy Cross began in 1866 and it was dedicated in 1875.
JohnAKeith
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
Christ.
Etc.
Christ.
Etc.
Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
Um. They did. Look back to original pictures of the facade addition. That was removed and, rumor is, sold for profit. Hence the black metal structure that remains in the pictures immediately above.
The balance around the windows was too difficult to salvage intact and inconsequential in a historical and financial sense.
EDIT: re: facade of course I'm referring to the gruesome trifle that topped this rather pedestrian building. For all the wailing in this thread, you'd think it was a masterpiece hand carved by a master mason, not what it was --- prefab elements pulled out of a Sears catalog (or whatever they used back in the day).
The original church was a rather adequate building first built for the Irish slaves of the Back Bay elite on Comm Ave and Marlborough (despite what Padre Mike suggested earlier in the thread: it wasn't until much, much, much later that it was a wealthy parish. They started out poor). The addition reflected the gaudy taste of its era but was architecturally insignificant inside and out. Hence the form-book facade elements. Pretty? Perhaps, but it was out of context with the original building.
That said, the new addition they've proposed seems to be more in context with the Hilton than the original church structure.
As for the parish house/rectory confusion earlier in the thread, ALL of it was under the eye of ISD. The recently-demo'd addition was shut down at various points over the years. The rectory (in the tower) was, for other reasons, declared unsafe. My understanding is that the nave itself is about the only thing that won't undergo construction or renovation, since they spent significant money on this a few years back. I think services are in the undercroft for the duration due to scaffold in the church.
Anyway, rambling on about neighborhood gossip. Goodnight.
Um. They did. Look back to original pictures of the facade addition. That was removed and, rumor is, sold for profit. Hence the black metal structure that remains in the pictures immediately above.
The balance around the windows was too difficult to salvage intact and inconsequential in a historical and financial sense.
EDIT: re: facade of course I'm referring to the gruesome trifle that topped this rather pedestrian building. For all the wailing in this thread, you'd think it was a masterpiece hand carved by a master mason, not what it was --- prefab elements pulled out of a Sears catalog (or whatever they used back in the day).
The original church was a rather adequate building first built for the Irish slaves of the Back Bay elite on Comm Ave and Marlborough (despite what Padre Mike suggested earlier in the thread: it wasn't until much, much, much later that it was a wealthy parish. They started out poor). The addition reflected the gaudy taste of its era but was architecturally insignificant inside and out. Hence the form-book facade elements. Pretty? Perhaps, but it was out of context with the original building.
That said, the new addition they've proposed seems to be more in context with the Hilton than the original church structure.
As for the parish house/rectory confusion earlier in the thread, ALL of it was under the eye of ISD. The recently-demo'd addition was shut down at various points over the years. The rectory (in the tower) was, for other reasons, declared unsafe. My understanding is that the nave itself is about the only thing that won't undergo construction or renovation, since they spent significant money on this a few years back. I think services are in the undercroft for the duration due to scaffold in the church.
Anyway, rambling on about neighborhood gossip. Goodnight.
Last edited:
Lurker
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
That cast stone and the real stone cladding is far more valuable sold to a salvage company than it is being charged per ton to be disposed of. The demolition contractor in this case probably doesn't want to bother, it requires a larger business focus than pure demolition, with the extra work to turn a higher profit. That cookie cutter catalog ornament from the days of yore is exactly what many period churches are looking for to repair damaged masonry and stone work.
That cast stone and the real stone cladding is far more valuable sold to a salvage company than it is being charged per ton to be disposed of. The demolition contractor in this case probably doesn't want to bother, it requires a larger business focus than pure demolition, with the extra work to turn a higher profit. That cookie cutter catalog ornament from the days of yore is exactly what many period churches are looking for to repair damaged masonry and stone work.
tobyjug
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
Looks like Koln circa 1945. P.S. Holy Cross isn't finished yet...cast iron spires missing.
Looks like Koln circa 1945. P.S. Holy Cross isn't finished yet...cast iron spires missing.
Lurker
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
Those will never be added until the entire cathedral is underpinned and the wall holding the organ is repaired. With the current finances of the church, the likelyhood of that occurring without some extremely generous religious patron is virtually nonexistent.
If the Cathedral Housing project was demolished, the street grid reconstructed, and the land sold off to private developers. Perhaps part of a linkage package could be to repair and complete the cathedral. However, the separation of church and state would probably prevent the BRA from allowing such an agreement to take place.
Those will never be added until the entire cathedral is underpinned and the wall holding the organ is repaired. With the current finances of the church, the likelyhood of that occurring without some extremely generous religious patron is virtually nonexistent.
If the Cathedral Housing project was demolished, the street grid reconstructed, and the land sold off to private developers. Perhaps part of a linkage package could be to repair and complete the cathedral. However, the separation of church and state would probably prevent the BRA from allowing such an agreement to take place.
Padre Mike
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
St. Cecilia's is a nice period piece, stuck on a pathetic little street, surrounded on all sides by terrible to mediocre architecture. I just can't get excited about preserving anything that has so far been removed. A church building that does not actually function for its congregation is useless. In my experience, the most critical people regarding parish projects tend to be those least involved in the life and financial support of the parish.
While I would love to see spires built on the Cathedral, the entire slate roof, especially the copper, needs replacement/repair. At this point they're only doing patch jobs where necessary.
St. Cecilia's is a nice period piece, stuck on a pathetic little street, surrounded on all sides by terrible to mediocre architecture. I just can't get excited about preserving anything that has so far been removed. A church building that does not actually function for its congregation is useless. In my experience, the most critical people regarding parish projects tend to be those least involved in the life and financial support of the parish.
While I would love to see spires built on the Cathedral, the entire slate roof, especially the copper, needs replacement/repair. At this point they're only doing patch jobs where necessary.
palindrome
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Re: New Berklee Dorm - 168 Mass Ave
forgot about this project.
thread here: http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=3099&highlight=rectory
forgot about this project.
thread here: http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=3099&highlight=rectory
Beton Brut
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
The church will be tearing this down again in 20 - 30 years, claiming it is an unfortunate piece of early 21st century architecture in the same way people have been decrying and destroying '70s-era buildings since the '90s.
The church will be tearing this down again in 20 - 30 years, claiming it is an unfortunate piece of early 21st century architecture in the same way people have been decrying and destroying '70s-era buildings since the '90s.
briv
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
St. Cecelia's is doing a bang-up job mutilating their building. Notice how the new granite doesn't match the existing's color or finish. And check out those nice pipe railings.
Car port.
St. Cecelia's is doing a bang-up job mutilating their building. Notice how the new granite doesn't match the existing's color or finish. And check out those nice pipe railings.
Car port.
found5dollar
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Re: St. Cecilia Parish Hall Addition (20 Belvidere St.)
I'm holding off judgment on this one.... I'm going to wait until i can see it with out scaffolding in front and with the addition glassed in or whatever is going on there.
I'm holding off judgment on this one.... I'm going to wait until i can see it with out scaffolding in front and with the addition glassed in or whatever is going on there.