Monday, November 01, 1999
No surprises for Cathedral
Project planner builds through consensus
BY SUSAN VELA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Rev. John Cahill, left, and the Rev. Michael Barth examine proposals for the renovation.
(Patrick Reddy photo)
| ZOOM |
|
COVINGTON — The architectural consultant behind the multimillion-dollar renovation and restoration of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption has a philosophy that guides his work.
It's the one that has steered him through other large Catholic church projects, in Iowa, Indiana, Virginia and Massachusetts.
“My message is to involve as many voices as possible and strive for consensus and strive for peace,” said Bill Brown, who founded Bill Brown AIA Professional Corp. of Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1986.
“This is an occasion where a church can grow in faith and in love, or this project can be divisive and pull us apart,” he said. “I want it to be the one and not the other.”
Bob Ort, 73, agrees this philosophy can work for the benefit of all. The Fort Wayne, Ind., man once
opposed Mr. Brown's ideas for renovations at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception — the 137-year-old church belonging to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
He changed his opinion after Mr. Brown welcomed his input and Mr. Ort saw the renovations that were based on compromise.
“I must say that Mr. Brown was exceptionally nice to work with,” he said. “He listened to all of our concerns. Everything was done in exceptionally good taste. It was very tastefully done and I'm sure that's to Mr. Brown's credit.”
Monsignor James J. Wolf of the Fort Wayne cathedral agrees.
“There were people mad at the beginning,” he said. “He helped us a lot. He was very good with working with the people. Most of the people who were against it came around.
“This is where Bill Brown really showed his expertise in that he listened to the people, and I think that's why it came out so well.”
Mr. Brown, 49, learned late last year that his architectural firm would be in charge of a $4.7 million cleaning, renovation and restoration at the Gothic-style cathedral that attracts as many as 70,000 a year.
The building, fashioned after Notre Dame in Paris, is the Diocese of Covington's home church.
Mr. Brown has been working closely with a 31-member steering committee with Bishop Robert Muench as its chairman. The bishop will have final say on what will be done.
Mr. Brown also has sought public input and is working with a Cincinnati firm, KZF Inc.
He said he always teams up with local architects so that the project combines “the best of our expertise and the best of local knowledge.”
Mr. Brown was born in Pittsburgh and attended Catholic schools. He received an architecture degree from University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and, while pursuing his studies, spent some time in Rome.
Upon graduation, he joined the firm of LeRoy Troyer & Associates, near the Notre Dame campus. The firm was involved in church projects of all denominations. Over the years, Mr. Brown become more focused on Catholic churches.
He wrote A Place for Catholic Worship, which focused on parish goal-setting in the design and construction of church buildings, and he established, edited and was the primary contributing author for Building and Renovation Kit for Places of Catholic Worship, a comprehensive parish resource.
Because his interest in Catholic churches had intensified, Mr. Brown went to his fellow LeRoy Troyer partners in 1985 and said, “I love you and I'm leaving you.”
He started his company soon after in South Bend. It moved to Colorado Springs in 1987.
Mr. Brown said he wanted to keep the firm small. It now employs four architects including himself.
The firm specializes in Catholic churches, providing such services as architecture, master planning, liturgical design consultation, liturgical furnishings design, art consultation, professional writing and speaking, team building and facilities programming.
“It's what I know,” Mr. Brown said. “It's where my heart is. It's not just a profession.”
Landing's future looking brighter with city's help
Athens survives another wild Halloween
Injured officer in fair condition
Nigeria's leader talks of road to democracy
One instant of chaos in Vietnam
How soon for HDTV? It's future is unclear
Are you one of Cincinnati's 2000 Faces?
Boyfriend accused of slaying
Two killed as car hits house in Clermont
2nd project for target zone
No surprises for Cathedral
Prosecutors: 'Culture of deceit' led to lies about worker's fatal fall, safety
Vandals strike Democrats' Norwood offices
Dylan scores in second half
Flecktones show spans jazz genres
Seniors take medals back from Games
Sports fields built just in time
GET TO IT
TRISTATE DIGEST
