BrandSafway Industries, LLC

Scope Of Work

In August 2011, the Basilica was damaged due to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, which occurred in the Baltimore area. The earthquake caused spreading cracks and structural damage to the Basilica’s main dome and supporting arches. The required restoration work included plaster demolition, masonry and plaster repairs and painting on the interior and exterior. The Archdiocese also wanted to keep the sanctuary open during construction on the weekends for services as well as numerous scheduled weddings. If conventional scaffold were used, it would obstruct the view of the altar, pulpit, and cathedral and take up valuable rows of pews. Lewis Contractors was retained to manage the project. Founded in 1966, Lewis Contractors has built a reputation on handling complex projects for prestigious institutions, churches and medical care facilities. Due to the project’s specialized demands, Lewis Contractors turned to Safway Services.

To meet the unique requests of the project, a plan was designed using Space Frame Trusses, spanning 68 feet in the apse and dome areas, and Truss Frames, approximately 50 feet in the nave and entry areas, to keep the sanctuary open and accessible to the public. Systems Scaffold was built 60 feet high on top of the Space Frame for the plaster repair in the church's main dome and rolling scaffolds were provided to access the smaller domes. Without being able to re-shore the floor from below, an extensive grillage system was engineered to spread the loads of the scaffold across the floor below the trusses’ supporting towers. This complex scaffold system allowed multiple trades to perform their work above the deck while the Basilica remained open for mass and services on weekends.

Products/Services used on this project:

Systems Scaffold

Sectional Scaffold

Space Frame

Truss Frame

Engineering Services

Labor Services