Last Thursday, Finegold Alexander Architects Principal Regan Shields Ives made her television debut on WCVB ABC TV Channel 5's The Chronicle. The episode, titled "Gatekeepers," aired on August 29 at 7:30 PM EST and highlighted the firm’s work on the extensive restoration of The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston.  

The Mother Church sits at the center of the Christian Science Center complex, a 13.5-acre plaza that is the largest privately owned, publicly accessible open space in the City of Boston. This renowned building is comprised of two structures constructed at different times: the Romanesque Revival The Mother Church Original (TMCO) designed by Franklin Welch, completed in 1894; and the larger Neoclassical domed edifice, The Mother Church Extension (TMCX)designed by Charles Brigham & Charles Coveney of Boston and Solon Beman of Chicago, completed in 1906.

This iconic landmark recently underwent a multi-million-dollar, eight-year restoration project that spanned all 195,000 square feet of the church. The project addressed significant challenges, including a century’s worth of water damage and outdated wiring that needed to be brought up to code. To preserve the church’s original character, the restoration utilized materials such as limestone, marble, granite, and terracotta.

“I think everybody that came in here could just look around and understand how important this space was, and that it was important that we all really did our best to restore it.”

      - Regan Shields Ives, Finegold Alexander, Principal

Now fully restored, The First Church of Christ, Scientist stands as a testament to Boston's rich architectural heritage, welcoming visitors with its renewed beauty and resuming its musical traditions.

“When you do a true preservation project, there is a different approach. Oftentimes as architects, we love to leave our mark. But really one of the underlying goals of this project was to appear as if no one had been here.”

      - Regan Shields Ives, Finegold Alexander, Principal

If you missed it, you can still catch the episode by clicking here!