| The Architectural firm of Yost and Packard originally designed this historic church located on the corner of Broad Street and Washington Ave. The church was built in 1885. It was designed in the gothic revival style with Victorian influences that were prevalent at the time. The design included the selection of green serpentine stone for the exterior façade. The stone was quarried in West Chester Pennsylvania. Serpentine stone is a beautiful looking material with rich veining and flecks of mica that glisten in the sunlight. Unfortunately, the stone is also a very porous material and almost immediately after the stone was installed, the church began experiencing problems with water infiltration and spalling. Attempts over the years were made to patch the stone and mortar. Many of these patching attempts actually did more harm then good.
In 2006 the church decided that all of the stone on the church needed to be removed and replaced. Working with Rogers Krajnak Architects, Inc., a new synthetic cast stone was selected to replace the serpentine stone. The new cast stone was designed to replicate the color, size and scale of the existing stone. Because the church is listed on the National Architectural Historic Register, the stone replacement needed and received unanimous approval from the City’s Historic Resources Commission.
The project will also include the cleaning of the existing sandstone, painting, and the restoration of the Victorian elements that have been lost over the years due to weather and neglect.
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