Historic North Carolina basilica, famed for elliptical tile dome, earns $750,000 national grant

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (OSV News) -- The iconic, century-old church St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville has been awarded a $750,000 "Save America's Treasures" grant from the National Park Service that will go toward much-needed renovations to protect and preserve it for generations to come.

Built in 1909 on a hill in downtown, the red brick church was designed and built by renowned Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino Sr. -- nicknamed "the architect of New York" -- whose vaulting, domes and ceiling work can be seen at Carnegie Hall, Ellis Island, Grant's Tomb and Grand Central Station in New York, and the Boston public library.

Designed in the Spanish Renaissance style, it features one of the largest free-standing elliptical domes in North America and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Treasured by parishioners and visitors alike, the 115-year-old church draws more than 100,000 visitors annually, but is showing its age as water intrusion has damaged some of the exterior brick and interior tile work, and has led to cracks in its famed herringbone tile dome.

The Park Service grant, announced Aug. 20, is one step in a longer-term effort to fully restore the basilica at an estimated cost of $23 million. The first phase -- the most urgently needed restoration and repair work -- is estimated to cost $6.5 million.

The grant will cover structural repairs -- including redesigning and reconfiguring the stormwater drainage system and rebuilding brick and mortar on the basilica's parapet and cornices.

"The basilica is a truly magnificent church, and we are so fortunate to have the opportunity to do this work preserving our heritage for future generations," said Msgr. Roger Arnsparger, rector and pastor.

The grant speaks volumes about the historical significance of the basilica, said Mary Everist, board president of the Basilica Preservation Fund, a tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the future integrity of the art and architecture of the basilica.

"It really speaks to the importance of the basilica in the fabric of Asheville," Everist told the Catholic News Herald, newspaper of the Diocese of Charlotte. "The basilica is important not only to those who live here, but our visitors."

The parish has already raised more than $3 million to preserve the structure, and the preservation fund has secured more than $1 million in other grants and donations.

Everist said the organization also will launch a national campaign to raise another $2 million for the first phase of preservation, which will include replacing the basilica's copper-clad dome.

The parish is leading the preservation effort in coordination with the Diocese of Charlotte.

The basilica is the only site in North Carolina and one of only 28 nationally to receive a "Save America's Treasures" preservation grant this year. One unusual feature of the church is the tomb inside, where architect Guastavino was laid to rest after his death during construction of the church. His son and business partner Rafael Guastavino Jr., also renowned for his tilework, finished the basilica in 1909, a year after his father's death.

St. Lawrence Basilica is home to 1,200 parish families and is open daily for self-guided tours. Its guest book has documented visitors from 49 states and 35 countries, Everist said.

"People come from around the world to visit the basilica and it takes a significant amount of resources to keep it accessible," she said. "We do everything we can to keep it open to the public."

Everist said the goal is to begin repair work in the spring of 2025.

The Park Service grant means a lot to Lawrence Gilliam, a St. Lawrence parishioner since 1969 and one of the Basilica Preservation Fund's founding members. He called on his background of more than 40 years as a grant writer to work with Everist on the grant proposal.

"I was elated to hear about the grant," Gilliam said. "This is a great feeling because it helps us to keep a significant building like the basilica around for hopefully the next 100 years."

Gilliam's connection with St. Lawrence goes back to his childhood. He first entered the doors of St. Lawrence as a baby with his parents shortly after they moved to the Asheville area in 1946. He recalled a trip he took to visit relatives in northern Italy several years ago and visits he made to historic churches there.

"I saw some lovely churches while there, including ones with ancient frescoes, but I think that St. Lawrence stands with all of them for beauty," he said.

Park Service Director Chuck Sams said the grant marks a milestone. "The Save America's Treasures program began 25 years ago and continues to enable communities across the United States to preserve and conserve their nationally significant historic properties and collections," he said in a statement. "It's fitting to celebrate this milestone anniversary through a wide range of projects that help to pass the full history of America and its people down to future generations."

Since 1999, Park Service grants have provided some $405 million to preserve more than 1,400 nationally significant collections, artifacts, structures and sites.

Since news of the grant broke, the Basilica Preservation Fund received a donation of $250,000 from an anonymous corporate donor, Everist said. The Biltmore Company has also contributed to the project; the elder Guastavino also did tilework at the Biltmore House, which initially brought him to Asheville.