St. Patrick's Worship Center - Largest of its Kind in Boston Area

Central has been recognized as an experienced specialty contractor in the renovation of religious institutions.  This reputation was maintained with the challenge of incorporating a church expansion and a new parish center into the original 19^th century design for St. Patrick’s Church in Stoneham, MA.

Central’s scope of work included many of our primary services for this 23,400 square foot New Parish Center, Worship Area, Kitchen, and Common Area.  The rough carpentry scope of work consisted of wood framing of the church addition, the roof truss system over the addition and part of the existing church, laminated arches in an octagon configuration, roofing, exterior trim, installation of existing stained glass windows and siding.

The Gypsum Wall Board work included building interior arches of various sizes to blend with the existing architecture of the church.  Furthermore, Central installed acoustical ceilings, FRP, wall and ceiling panels in the kitchen area.

The first phase of the construction project built a two-story Parish Center with a large hall (accommodating 500 people) on the second floor with offices and various meeting rooms on the first floor.

The second phase enlarged the original church, built in 1888 from a capacity of 550 persons to 900 persons.  The basement level of the addition provided a Youth Room, Music Room and handicapped access to the lower church.

Saint Patrick Parish is the only Catholic Church in the Town of Stoneham. It serves 15,000 parishioners in more than 5,000 families.  As the town grew, the church became too small for the community and there was a desperate need for additional meeting rooms and gathering space for this vibrant parish.

The greatest challenge was to “cut into” the side of the wood gothic church that is 115 years old and then construct a new nave for the church that would blend completely into the original architectural lines of the church.

The project included intense wood framing of new additions to match the church’s 45-foot high vaulted altar ceilings and to replicate the existing vaulted ceiling system, which need to be married into the existing sanctuary. This work commenced in the height of the New England winter season where extreme measures had to be undertaken to protect the existing structure, which was open to the elements during the framing sequence of the work.

This project is the largest newly constructed Parish Center for the archdiocese of Boston in the new millennium. It is historical not only in that sense but also because of the many components, which have been implemented from other parishes. Many closing or merging parishes within the archdiocese have given their stained glass or statue to be incorporated into the new worship center which makes this unique and a place where those parishioners can feel a sense of connectedness to their previous parishes.

Everyone connected with this project is proud to have been part of this important construction project.  The building will serve as a hub of spiritual, social and community service. The gothic architecture of the church has been respected and enhanced.  This will be a magnificent worship space for the 21^st century.