Restoration work at All Saints church in Dorchester progressing

(Patrick D. Rosso/Boston.com/2013)

By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent

The scaffolding that has earned the All Saints church in Dorchester the nickname the Green Monster of Peabody Square could soon be a thing of the past as construction crews prepare to finish up renovations to the churchs exterior.

Since the beginning of summer crews with Consigli Construction have been working diligently on the multi-million dollar restoration of the 121-year-old church. The second phase of the project, expected to begin in January 2014, will include interior repairs.

Although the restoration of the church is exciting for its 350 odd parishioners, the detail crews are putting into the project has also generated a lot of interest outside of the church community, according to Jeffery Gonyeau, a parishioner at the church who is providing technical support for the project.

You really dont find many groups that go to this length during a restoration project, said Gonyeau. In the preservation world this has gotten a lot of attention and weve even led tours of the work. It shows that these high level preservation efforts can and should happen in all of Bostons neighborhoods.

From the use of slate and copper, to the painstaking process of removing rotting masonry and replacing it, Gonyeau said crews are sticking with historical materials and making sure the church doesnt lose any of its character. The property is also of particular interest for architecture buffs because it was the first building designed by Ralph Adams Cram, the man behind the Sagamore Bridge and West Point.

In some sense it [the churchs restoration] kind of completes the work that has been taking place in Peabody Square area, said Gonyeau. From the Carruth Building to Ashmont Station a lot of work has gone into the area and this is part of that revitalization.

The church itself may have a long history in the neighborhood, but the project promises to bring even more history to the community, as organizers prepare to install an 84-year-old organ manufactured by Ernest Skinner, once a resident of Dorchester.

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Restoration work at All Saints church in Dorchester progressing