Built in 1877, Saint Joseph's Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece that could last forever
Toeniskoetter Construction is proud to highlight St. Joseph’s Cathedral, a landmark restoration project that helped shape our company’s legacy and was recently highlighted as a “Bay Area architectural gem” in the Mercury News.
Originally built in 1877, the church had suffered a century of wear and water damage by the time the Vatican approved its elevation to cathedral status in 1985—on the condition it could be fully restored. The task was monumental. The roof was failing, the interior murals were deteriorating, and decades of paint concealed the original design work.
In October 1989, as Chuck Toeniskoetter brought his family inside to see the progress, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. Measuring 6.9 in magnitude, the earthquake shook the entire region—but thanks to the newly reinforced roof, completed just weeks earlier, the cathedral stood firm and everyone inside was unharmed. That moment became a powerful reminder of the importance of this work.
Over five years, Toeniskoetter & Breeding Inc. (TBI) reimagined and reinforced the structure with a new dome and towers, modern systems, and careful preservation of interior artistry. One of the challenges was removing a century’s worth of old paint from the interior without damaging the delicate design work underneath. Toeniskoetter & Breeding Inc. (TBI) navigated this through an innovative solution of using liquid nitrogen and ground walnut shells to remove a century of paint without damaging the original design.
This pivotal project was featured in the Mercury News. Special thanks to Jason Mastrodonato and Karl Mondon for helping tell this story.
Read More at the link below:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/06/26/saint-josephs-cathedral-san-jose-is-an-architectural-masterpiece/?share=iruw2s2wcatsemsjwtea
Photo: Karl Mondon
