Plaster Rescue Featured in “Living St. Louis” Episode

KETC Channel 9’s Living St. Louis  recently featured an update on the reconstruction of the fire-damaged St. Alphonsus “Rock” Church on N. Grand with emphasis on the ornamental plaster restoration being effected by Gypsum Specialty Contractors. (watch the video here)

The church, a St. Louis landmark with its 238-foot steeple and close ties to many area Catholics, was built in the 1860’s and ravaged by fire in August of 2007. As the video shows, the fire nearly destroyed the roof of the church, resulting in catastrophic damage to building’s soaring, arched ceiling. In addition, lead-paint abatement work crumbled much of the old plaster, requiring replacement, or repair, of virtually the entire interior of the church.

Gypsum’s project foreman, Mike Roellig and his team are slowly but surely returning St. Alphonsus “Rock” to its original state. Jack Shipley who is featured in the Living St. Louis piece, is teaching a new generation of plasterers the fine art of ornamental plastering. Between Jack, Mike and the other members of Plasterers’ Local 3 at the project. St. Louisans can rest assured that St. Alphonsus “Rock” church will soon be returned to its original glory.