St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood looked like this before a devastating fire last year and could look like this again following its pending reconstruction (Bostwick). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Fire-damaged cathedral to be rebuilt in 3 phases
A team of contractors, architects and structural engineers is about to start visible efforts of what is more than just a job, but a vocation. That calling is to restore the 114-year-old St. Theodosius Cathedral in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood to its former glory, from the ashes of a devastating fire that occurred on May 28, 2024.
The man leading that team announced that these works are about to commence, after answering a plea from Father Ján Čižmár of St. Theodosius Parish, the oldest Orthodox Christian Parish in Ohio, founded by Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants in 1896. The cathedral is located at 733 Starkweather Ave.
James Wamelink, vice president at WR Restoration of Twinsburg, made that announcement Feb. 21 on LinkedIn, noting this his firm was honored to be selected by Father Čižmár and the parish to be the restoration project’s construction manager.
“We are committed to preserving the rich heritage of St. Theodosius and look forward to its reopening in 2026,” he said in his announcement. “Our team has been dedicated to supporting the cathedral’s recovery.”
A sample of three-dimensional modeling of St. Theodosius Cathedral showing the damaged and removed portions in red, the temporary shoring structures shown in yellow and the remaining structure in gray (Bostwick).
Led by WR Restoration, that team includes Bostwick Design Partnership of Cleveland, EverGreene Architectural Arts, Inc. of New York City, Osborn Engineering of Cleveland and Radius Track Corp. of Crystal, MN. The latter firm makes precision-engineered metal framing systems for curved and complex buildings.
“We have assembled a distinguished team, including Bostwick, EverGreene, Osborn and our experienced craftsmen to meticulously restore this historic landmark,” Wamelink said. “Our collaboration with Radius Track will ensure the faithful reconstruction of the cathedral’s iconic domes, symbolizing the saints and Jesus Christ.”
The fire accidentally began when another contractor was making repairs to copper on the roof. Initial efforts to stabilize the church and keep its roof from collapsing were made within hours of the fire being extinguished. That included using the latest technology to map out how best to bring back the historic cathedral.
“I was called in the day after the fire to provide three-dimensional drone imagery and photogrammetry for Osborn Engineers to begin to build the building model and assess the damage,” Wamelink said in an e-mail to NEOtrans. “We conducted an exact mission the following day and determined the structure was compromised due to movement.”
These 3D images show cross-sections of the church and the inner-workings of the structure’s temporary shoring and enclosure to the protect the building’s interior, especially its extensively decorated sanctuary, from the effects of Cleveland’s weather (Bostwick).
Crews showed up with a heavy crane to disassemble the heavy, main onion-shaped dome from the pinnacle. Soon thereafter, shoring beams were installed. Initial stabilization work done last year was estimated at $135,000, city Building Department records show. In the moment, Wamelink said he his team didn’t have time to contemplate the community-wide ramifications of their work.
“We never missed a beat and my team mobilized and didn’t realize the magnitude of the project at that time as we had a mission to get the structure ‘safe’ within five days per the city,” he said. “After we caught our breath, the importance and honor of restoring such a vital part of the Cleveland neighborhood and skyline set in.”
In submitting documentation to the city on Feb. 21 to start the project, Bostwick Partner Damian Henri noted that the work will be done in three phases. The first phase for which construction permits have been sought is estimated to cost $425,000, according to public records.
“The restoration is anticipated to be divided into three design releases and construction permit applications,” Henri wrote in the application. “Design release No. 1 includes primary structural members restoration. Design release No. 2 is anticipated to include dome-framing restoration.”
Darkened by soot, St. Theodosius’ beautiful stained-glass windows, ornate chandeliers and the faith of its parishioners remain intact (St. Theodosius GoFundMe).
He continued, noting that “Design release No. 3 is anticipated to include secondary/tertiary structural members restoration, interior plaster and painting restoration, roofing restoration, and limited electrical and ductwork repairs. This (Feb. 21) application is solely for Design release No. 1.”
“Some aspects (of this phasing) need to happen first but all will be a continuous and coordinated effort,” Wamelink confirmed.
An updated cost estimate for all three phases of the restoration is not available. Early estimates of fire and water damage that were made last year speculated that repairs could exceed $1 million.
St. Theodosius Cathedral is considered by many to be one of the finest examples of Russian church architecture in the United States. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was constructed for a mere $70,000 thanks to from donations by the people of Cleveland and possibly beyond.
Members of St. Theodosius Cathedral’s restoration team met often to plan the upcoming reconstruction. This was a meeting held in January at the Cleveland offices of lead architect Bostwick Design Partnership (St. Theodosius).
“It is believed that Russia’s Czar Nicholas II–the one whose entire family was murdered during the Revolution of 1917–also contributed,” wrote Michael Rotman and Jim Dubelko. They also noted the church was pictured in a number of scenes in the 1978 Academy Award-winning movie “The Deer Hunter” starring Robert DeNiro and Meryl Streep.
Although the property was insured, it is not enough, Father Čižmár said. Fundraising efforts continue to support the church’s restoration. The parish has a pledge/donation page on its Web site where anyone can make contributions — so far more than $106,000 has been raised. But it’s goal is to reach $1 million.
Others are chipping in, too. Neighboring Lucky’s Cafe, 777 Starkweather, is collecting donations and selling T-shirts that have raised more than $15,000 toward its $20,000 goal. All funds raised will go toward the restoration of St. Theodosius. There is also a GoFundMe page where more than $36,000 has been raised.
“Our goal is to get the congregation back home as soon as possible,” Wamelink said.
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