Celebrating Joe Alonso, Cathedral Rock Star

If you heard some hootin' and hollerin' in Dupont Circle on Saturday night, it's because our beloved Joe Alonso is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

Joe, our Head Stone Mason, won this year’s Craftsmanship Award from the Washington Building Congress for his oversight of the Cathedral’s earthquake repairs, together with stone carvers Sean Callahan and Andy Uhl. More than 240 nominations were submitted across 10 categories.

But it gets better! Joe, Sean and Andy and the entire Cathedral were also awarded the “Star Award” for “excellence in the face of adversity.”

Joe started work at the Cathedral in 1985, and on Sept. 29, 1990, he set the final stone in place as building was completed on Washington’s longest-running construction progress. (That’s him there in the photo, guiding the final finial into place).

Since the 2011 earthquake that caused $38 million in damage, Joe and his team have been working their way around the building, refinforcing finials and pinnacles and buttresses with stainless steel rods in case we get rattled by another quake.

The Cathedral is honored in the Masonry category for Exterior Stone. WBC’s Craftsmanship Awards recognize exceptional craftsmanship within the local construction industry, and aim to encourage all tradesmen to take pride in their work. Nominees are evaluated for aesthetics, difficulty of execution, technical excellence and quality craftsmanship.

As Cathedral Dean Randy Hollerith put it: “Joe represents the heart and soul of this building, and he embodies the Cathedral’s commitment to excellence in all that we do. We are grateful whenever the construction industry recognizes the amazing work that we see every day from Joe and his team of rock stars.”

From everyone here at the Cathedral, congrats, Joe, Sean and Andy!