The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, Rhode Island, is a majestic 132-year-old church on the National Register of Historic Places and one of Providence’s most recognizable landmarks. In recent years, the church has undergone two major renovations, and Greenwood Industries is proud to have been involved with both.

The initial project focused on replacing the entire historic slate roof. Greenwood replaced the slate in 2020, and at the time, the church thought the roof replacement would be the only major renovation needed. However, after an assessment of the two 156’ foot towers, both were determined to be in poor condition and need immediate repair or face demolition. The size of the towers made demolition almost as expensive as a complete restoration, so the easy answer was to save the beautiful, historical towers.

The restoration of the towers involved extensive masonry work, which included cleaning the exterior, repointing interior and exterior joints, and repairing and replacing stone assemblies. In addition, the restoration also required new Sarnafil roofs for the church, as well as the replacement of the copper fixtures.

Restoring a historic building requires tremendous attention to detail. To replace the stone, a local quarry was selected with a vein of brownstone similar to the original stone. Given the size of the towers, it also requires precise engineering and a stomach for heights. Greenwood used a 180’ boom lift to complete the job, which required meticulous planning from our safety team.

Ultimately, The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul was restored to its original form and gratefully remains one of Providence’s most stunning (and safe!) landmarks. The project also received several awards and accolades, including the 2022 Rhode Island AIA Design Award for Historical Preservation and Faith & Forms Best Religious Architecture Restoration Award.

Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, MA, is the largest arts collective in the United States. The complex houses more than 350 different artists plus a coffee shop, brewery, and more. It’s enormous for a reason. The guiding principle is that Western Avenue Studios be affordable for the community. At a time when rents are booming, studios here start at a few hundred dollars per month.

Housed in a 100-year-old mill complex, Western Ave consists of five different buildings. A secure building envelope is vital for an old building and even more critical for a building housing artists. Leaks and moisture can ruin an artist’s livelihood. That’s why it was vital for Western Avenue Studios to find the right roofer for preventative maintenance and repairs. After working with other companies, they started working with Greenwood Roof Services and its Executive Vice President, Joe Jolicoeur. Greenwood’s ability to address all six sides of the building, from leak repairs to a recent roof restoration, provides affordable, dedicated resources to keep the building system secure. And more importantly, GRS serves as an extended team to the facilities management team, working together to come up with outside-the-box solutions. In one such case, GRS removed a tree growing into the side of the building, a difficult feat because it was located in a wall right next to a canal! Coupled with annual inspections and 24-by-7 emergency services, headed by a dedicated project manager, GRS has been instrumental in keeping the facility in tip-top shape for the past five years. 

We recently met with Karl Frey, the founder of Western Avenue Studios, and he took us on a tour of the facility. Check out this short video to learn why he loves working with Greenwood Roof Services and why his collaboration is essential for the arts community.