The Interview
Carl Jay
By John Koch, Boston Globe
Were you a carpenter prodigy as a youth?
My father's family were all blacksmiths who could make anything. I was told that when my grandfather would forge something, it would fit perfectly - no need for measurement. It's really a mix of art and construction, and I think it is inbred.
What drew you to churches?
I had an opportunity between my junior and senior years at college [UMass-Amherst] to work for a firm that specialized in church construction. You get the sense that you're building for time. You see beautiful craftsmanship and quality, and you've got a chance to complement that work. My parents were from Prince Edward Island in Canada, and one of my uncles is a priest there. My older brother is a priest up there as well. We grew up in a good-sized Irish Catholic family in Stoughton. With my religious background and respect for God, it's a thrill to work in those types of buildings.
How many churches have you worked on?
In my previous job, 90 percent of my work was for the archdiocese, which has 450 parishes. I've worked on 250, maybe 300, churches, from rehanging a door right up to building brand-new churches. From scratch, we built a replica of the Old South Union Church in South Weymouth [after the original burned to the ground, in 1989].
Do heights bother you?
Earlier in my career, I was up in another steeple or tower every day, looking at how to restore it. I used to say I was in church six days a week. I would take Saturday off; but I was there Sunday, for my personal use. When I was 20 and climbing the staging, I was used to it. But when Shawmut did the Harvard Memorial Hall tower in 1999, up 210 feet, you have to get used to the heights again. I tried to design the work in such a way that we could do a lot of it on the ground. Your efficiency drops dramatically when you're up at that height, with wind and cold.
What's the most impressive structure you've worked on?
The Memorial Hall tower, which had burned off in 1956. In effect, we put a six-story building on top of that truncated tower. The way we designed it, we actually hoisted nine 9-ton modules, using a crane with a 310-foot boom. We just won a preservation award for it from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
What, exactly, is your job description now?
A project manager's job is to get the job done on schedule and budget, to the level of quality where the client will ask you back. I've been away from the tools themselves for 20 years.
How much crisis control is involved?
When I'm running a project with a good superintendent, I'm on the phone four or five times a day. I might hear: ``Carl, we opened up a section of the floor, and there's a beam that doesn't connect; it looks like there was a small fire back in the 1820s.'' There's stuff that's unforeseen. Even though you do the best plans you can, you're going to find surprises. If you do a meticulous plan, you probably predict 50 percent of the problems. For the rest, you need ingenuity.
How important is the use of authentic, original materials?
It's important from a purist's standpoint. But it's a mistake to assume, for example, that the Eastern white pine that you built a church with in 1858 is the same Eastern white pine you buy today. Old-growth timber grew tighter, and it was more resistant to moisture. You've got to use your head - sometimes mahogany might be better, because it's more resistant to decay.
What was your most nerve-wracking job?
When the pope visited Boston in 1979, I was responsible for providing the liturgical appointments on the altar on the Common. Time was tight. We had people working around the clock, and the Secret Service came over to our shop to inspect the construction.
Can you be a nice guy and run projects like these?
Really, people say, ``Carl Jay is so nice - how is he going to do this?'' When I joined Shawmut, they called me Father Carl. It was from the church work and because of my family being religious. Where you become intolerant is on your insistence on quality and delivering on your promises.
Is there something of a priest in Carl Jay?
Growing up, being a priest was on par with being a doctor or a lawyer. My uncle, Father Francis, seemed almost like a celebrity to us. I have a reverence, and I think I am doing some of God's work, too. You're there to do something for others - it's not just the paycheck.
Is there any new architecture you especially like?
I do gravitate to new buildings - I've probably moved up to the Art Deco period. I'm not into modern architecture - not yet. It doesn't speak to me of our ancestry and the crafts and trades. I like the idea of the old. I recently bought an 1845 home in downtown Holliston. It's 150 years old, and we think of the families that celebrated Christmas there, and Easter. You put your hand on the handrail, coming down in the morning, and you feel people have been there, and there's a great satisfaction in that.
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