St. Mary Star of the Sea | Emergency Response Repairs

A large and violent thunderstorm swept across south Baltimore on an Easter Monday afternoon. The storm was short lived, but in its wake left the historic cross, the “lighthouse icon,” perilously dangling more than one hundred feet above the sidewalk in the densely populated Federal Hill area, hanging by threads atop the spire at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Lewis received the call to help with the impending disastrous consequences at 3:30 pm and within less than two hours was able to deploy both manpower and a crane to the site to remove the 100 lb. historic emblem before it crashed to the sidewalk destroying the cross and potentially injuring pedestrians. Working long into the evening, Lewis was able to ensure that the opening in the spire was covered, protecting the nave from future storm damage. Following an extensive investigation, Lewis was able to comprehensively assess the damage to the spire and begin the structural repairs necessary to ensure that such an event would never happen again. The more than 5’ tall, three-dimensional metal cross was repaired, new LED lighting installed, extensive structural work completed within the spire, and ultimately the cross was replaced in its original position.