Stabilization Work Completed
Posted Sunday August 01, 2004
Hardypond Construction, a leading general contractor for small to mid sized commercial construction, completed the stabilization of the former sanctuary of the St. Lawrence Church for future use of the space as a 400-500 seat performance auditorium with funds granted in March 2003 through the Housing and Community Block Grant Program and made available this past July. In consultation with Structures North Consulting Engineers of Salem, MA., Hardypond Construction erected a massive shoring and bracing system to stabilize the exterior walls and roof of the future auditorium. Bob Gaudreau, owner of Hardypond Construction, has been following the St. Lawrence Renovation Project for many years and was excited to be getting involved with the cause. Bob Gaudreau believes the loss of the St. Lawrence to the City of Portland would be equal to losing Union Station. The stabilization and shoring done by Hardypond Construction will go a long way in insuring that this beautiful old church, long admired for it's beauty, having been built in 1897 in the Romanesque Queen Anne style with fanciful architectural features such as turrets, a belfry, the granite walls and a slate roof and listed as a National Landmark in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and as a local landmark by the City of Portland in 1990 will be around for a while longer!