Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the oldest of the twenty-one Spanish missions of California, founded by Father Junipero Serra. Construction began at the current site in 1778. The historic structures include the Great Stone Church, Serra Chapel, barracks, convent, school, rectory, south and west wings, and the gift shop. The stone and adobe buildings suffered a gradual deterioration by weather and water, which causes the adobe to ‘melt’ away. 

TSA provided a wide range of preservation services for Mission San Juan Capistrano beginning with an initial assessment of existing building conditions, followed by a temporary system of shoring and bracing to stabilize the Great Stone Church and Soldier’s Barracks. Next an overall, prioritized scope of work was outlined for all major structures. An initial emergency phase of repair and retrofit was identified and implemented.

A major portion of work by TSA was focused on the conservation of the Great Stone Church, which had collapsed in 1812.  TSA worked with a team of architectural conservators from the University of Pennsylvania to conserve very fragile plaster and stone surfaces that had been exposed to the elements for over 180 years.  The work completed includes the retrofit of the main nave and transept walls, Sanctuary Dome wall pinning and the stabilization of the Vestry Dome.


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