St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

We transformed the existing non-descript concrete plaza into an inviting gathering space that features a large sculpture of bronze cast dancers that sits in front of a contemporary addition punctuated by a stone and brick rotunda crowned by a glass and steel cupola.

Originally constructed in Kessel, WV in 1919, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church was deconstructed and relocated to Petersburg, WV in the early 1970s. By 2017, the church congregation found itself in need of additional space and the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston engaged our help.

The project included not only the addition of a new narthex area with kitchenette, sacristy, and two restrooms, but also the complete exterior and interior renovation of the existing church building. The balcony in the historic church building was reconfigured to allow for more seating and safer access, and the altar space was expanded to allow for a larger tabernacle. Interior finishes throughout the existing church were updated to reflect and celebrate the history of the church building and the surrounding region.

Site design allowed for an expanded parking area to accommodate the growing church population. The new addition, while drawing design elements from the historic church, connects to the existing building via a contemporary glass vestibule that clearly delineates new construction from old. The updated church building now serves the needs of the congregation while ensuring that it will continue to function as a center of celebration and community for many years into the future. This project was awarded the 2020 WV AIA Excellence in Architecture Award.