The Restoration of St. Ignatius Church – Chapel Point

Join AIA Baltimore's Historic Resources Committee for a presentation about the history and restoration of St. Ignatius Church in southern Maryland.

With roots traced back to its founding in 1641, St. Ignatius Church – Chapel Point is the oldest, continuously serviced Catholic Parish in the United States. Construction of the building that currently stands today ranges from the 1690s through 1798, as the Church grew from a single one-story residence into a larger structure comprised of the original chapel as well as the St. Thomas Manor House and Church wing. The Church has undergone various renovations, including those after a major fire in the late 1800s, and currently resides on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2018, St. Ignatius engaged BECS to review several components of the building for structural concerns. The following year, the assessment expanded to include the exterior facades, which were planned for restoration. Through a series of investigations and forensic testing, BECS identified the surface issues and sought to address their root causes. BECS worked with the Church to assemble a project team, and the restoration project began in earnest in the Spring of 2022 with Contracting Specialists Inc. (CSI) performing the repairs. Restoration efforts included repairs to and strengthening of damaged brick and stone masonry, restoration of stained-glass windows, reconstruction of masonry chimneys and a wood-framed sunporch, replacement of stone entry steps and wood doors, and restoration of wooden eave and metal belfry elements. The project was substantially completed by the end of 2023. This presentation will provide a brief history of the building before delving into the restoration project and its many facets.

AIA Continuing Education: 1.0 LU|HSW approved

About the presenter: Gage Pepin is a Project Manager at BECS (Building Envelope Consultants & Scientists), based in Baltimore, MD. After gaining his BS and MS degrees in civil engineering from Washington State (Go Cougs!) and Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!), respectively, he worked for several years as a structural design engineer in Seattle, WA before relocating to Baltimore and entering the building enclosure industry. He has been with BECS for four years and in that time has managed projects ranging from residential roofing and façade renovations, to structural investigations and repairs, to historic preservation and restoration.