Calvary Presbyterian Church was founded in 1854. At the time of its construction, it was the largest Protestant church on the west coast. The first church, constructed in 1855, was located on Bush Street, between Montgomery and Sansome (where the Mills Building stands today). The Church made its first move when it decided to build a new, larger building on Powell Street and Geary Boulevard in Union Square. In 1900, the church was moved again, this time to its current location at the corner of Fillmore and Jackson Street. This time, however, the Church sold only the land–not its building. The pews, much of the woodwork, and over one million bricks were moved to become part of the church that exists today. It survived 1906 Earthquake undamaged, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The Church’s large, historic stained-glass windows were first repaired in 1988. The effects of aging and southern exposure to the weather eventually necessitated the complete restoration of the windows. In 2013, ARG Conservation Services (ARG/ CS) was retained by Calvary Presbyterian Church to restore the aesthetic beauty of the stained-glass windows while also addressing their waterproofing failures.
The windows were each carefully removed, panel by panel, and relocated to a stained glass studio for restoration. While the windows were removed, ARG/CS investigated the condition of the surrounding wood frames and sills and repaired them as necessary. At the completion of the project the seven newly restored windows were returned to their places along the building’s south elevation, with new window stops and newly painted window frames and sills. Interior wall finishes at the south wall and the refinishing of the front entry doors were also included in the scope of this project.
Stained Glass Restoration
Calvary Presbyterian Church
San Francisco, California
Finishes