Photograph courtesy BENJAMINJK
Some might call it divine intervention that found Brandi Ash in the right place at the right time. The vice president and director of architecture for SHP was working on a project for the Archdiocese of Covington when its director of buildings and properties asked her to evaluate a deteriorating chimera perched atop the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. Ascending its spiral staircase, she found further deterioration—not unexpected for a building of its age—and realized this would be a much greater endeavor.
The 125-year-old building is a Covington icon, with a breathtaking Gothic exterior. Its architect, Leon Coquard, based his design on Notre Dame, and it was built with brick, terra-cotta, and Indiana limestone. It features 82 stained glass windows, and a distinctive mix of gargoyles and chimera.
For an entire week, the team conducted a building condition survey—sometimes while suspended in a crane basket. After Ash identified open joints, spalling, and missing and deteriorated pieces, SHP needed to grasp the full extent of the issues. So, with no original architectural plans for reference, the team created new ones and 3D scanning company True Scan to laser scanned the entire building. With preservation as their north star, work began. All 26 chimera were scanned in place on the parapet by Boston Valley Terracotta, then again after removal by contractor Trisco Systems, Inc., to ensure a 360-degree scan. In New York, BV’s artists built molds of the chimera and hand-carved detailing to create exact replicas.
Trisco handled all other facets of the project. With the equipment and manpower already in place, every problem was addressed head-on so it wouldn’t cause trouble down the road. “We tried to approach all of the work we did to be the 100-year solution,” Ash says.
The entire exterior was cleaned to match new and old stone seamlessly. Ash estimates they went through eight or 10 mockups before finding the right color. It’s virtually impossible to distinguish old from new thanks to the level of care and craftsmanship. The chimera and gargoyles have resumed their protective watch over the city, looking as magnificent as they did a century ago.
Photograph courtesy SHP
