Gate of Heaven Church in South Boston was recently recognized by the Mass.Historical Commission (MHC) as one of its 2007 Preservation Award winners.
Built between 1896 and 1912, Gate of Heaven Church had not received any major repairs since the 1950s. In 2006, Consigli Construction Co., Inc. and architect McGinley Kalsow & Associates, LLP worked to clean, repoint and rebuild the church's neglected masonry. The significance of the church both as a historical structure and to the parish community required Consigli's team of masonry experts to ensure the appearance of the building did not stray from its original design, despite requiring extensive brick and masonry repairs. Replacement bricks were "splatter" painted, a method by which new bricks were coated to blend seamlessly with the remaining original materials.