Reviving History
December 02, 2024
Over the course of a year, in the bustling heart of Tampa, Florida, an urban renewal project unfolded, guided by the imperative to preserve the historical fabric of the city while accommodating its modern aspirations. The focal point of this endeavor was the integration of a century-old Spanish revival church and its iconic bell tower into a new high-rise apartment complex — a feat that demanded both ingenuity and reverence for the past.
The project, performed by NDA member MILBURN Demolition, presented myriad challenges from the outset. “Zero lot lines, busy streets and sidewalks, a 100-year-old church and a bell tower that had to stay, be protected and separated from existing buildings, and restored — this rewarding yet challenging project really checked all the urban renewal boxes,” says Dave Geertz, MILBURN Demolition’s director of operations.
Constructed of unreinforced terracotta brick, heavy timber and concrete, the church had seen a great deal in its years. “Over its lifetime, it saw the addition of an M.P. Möller pipe organ, made by the same prolific organ builder responsible for the famous Mighty Mo of the Fox Theater in Atlanta, and, critically, the addition of a three-story cast-in-place addition in 1954 that housed a Sunday school. Over the years, neglect and disrepair took their toll, and by the time our work started, the building was literally crumbling,” Geertz says.
MILBURN Demolition was contracted to wreck the adjacent three-story buildings without damaging or undermining a historic church and bell tower. The cast-in-place school was directly tied into the church and bell towers’ exterior, and beams were pocketed into the church’s clay tile and brick exterior.
“The Sunday school addition was structurally tied to the original church structure in as many as 10 different conditions,” Geertz says. “A full bay separation was provided using a mixture of remote-controlled saws and recovery equipment working over catch-deck shoring that would capture the slabs as they were cut away from the original structure of the church, preventing them from rotating and causing upheaval within the delicate terracotta structure.”
Years of neglect had taken their toll on the bell tower’s structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. The ornate decorative balustrade had all but vanished, with only some select components still intact. The heavy timber decks had rotted and failed, and the remaining wood had become home for termites. The concrete at the top of the tower where the bells were first hung had blown out and failed.
The team shored and braced the full 94-foot-tall structure and other sensitive components, and the surgery began. The rotten wood was replaced with steel sprayed matte black to emulate anticorrosion coatings of the period, and the decorative crown of the tower was fully restored by taking select samples of remaining components to the ground and using the best of each component as a template to recreate these features as they were first made, all by hand. Finally, a new copper-clad dome was constructed and placed, based on the original ink-drawn plans that were discovered during pre-demolition investigations.
“Zero lot lines made this job a challenge, as there really was no room for error,” Geertz says. “We had to work within the confines and footprint of the existing site. Top it all off with the opportunity to lead the restoration of the bell tower. This was a challenging and rewarding project. It was more than a year of effort in planning, design, permitting, construction and demolition. The ability to lead the restoration process and leave a part of history really is the cherry on top.”
The significance of the project extended far beyond its technical achievements. It was a testament to the enduring legacy of the church within the community — a sentiment echoed by many who shared their personal connections to the historic landmark.
“Passersby would comment to the team that their grandparents had been married in that church, or their parents were put to rest, and how happy and relieved they were that the church wasn’t leveled for new construction,” Geertz says. “Far from the biggest or most expensive part of this new development project, bringing back a part of the heart and soul of Tampa that still stands — and is now ready to do so for another century — was the most satisfying.”
The demolition and restoration project in Tampa’s central business district encapsulated the harmonious coexistence of past and present, tradition and innovation. Through meticulous planning, technical expertise and a profound respect for history, MILBURN Demolition succeeded not only in preserving a cherished landmark but in revitalizing its role as a beacon of heritage for generations to come.
For this project, MILBURN Demolition was chosen as a Category 2 finalist for the 2024 Excellence in Demolition Awards. Learn more about the awards at demolitionassociation.com/About/Awards/Excellence-in-Demolition-Awards.