Mon Nov 02, 2009, 03:52 PM EST
Billerica, Mass. - From weddings to baby showers, and milestones of all kind can be celebrated at the newly renovated Casa Santa Tecla.
Joseph Mazzola, owner of Logan Masonry & Restoration Company, began the restoration work to the building a year ago, and while the finishing will take another five years, reservations for events can be made for events as early as next spring.
With 35 years on the job, Mazzola picked up the project at Casa Santa Tecla because he knew the sisters needed help. He works with his wife Maria, daughter Michelle Keily, and friend Wendy Adams of Enchanted Moments, a new corporation set up for event management. An open house is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
“I wanted to get involved and donate some work, but then they were talking about weddings and stuff, what to do with it, so we decided to get into the weddings facility,” said Mazzola. “Basically I donate most of my work over there.”
Casa Santa Tecla is located on 134 acres of land that sits beside the Concord River. It adds the thought of the old world from its rich landscape. Following World War II, the building was used by the Maryknoll Missionaries until the Roman Catholic Sisters of St. Paul rebuilt it in 1979.
Mazzola said through Enchanted Moments, the building will be used for weddings, anniversaries, first communions, seminars, engagement parties, and baby showers.
Sister Nancy Usselmann, treasurer of the institute, describes Casa Santa Tecla as a retreat house that is owned by a women’s congregation called the Daughters of St. Paul.
“It’s an opportunity for Joe and his company to increase awareness about the possibility for using this facility for a place for weddings,” said Usselmann.
Taking a trip to Casa Santa Tecla with Mazzola, the scenery is breathtaking. There are a number of statues on the outside of the facility, and on the inside, a number of different function rooms.
On the inside there will be tables set up in the function hall room.
“The lounge room will have a bar with flat screen televisions so people can relax and hang around,” said Mazzola. “Parking will be in the back on Dudley Road.”
In the time of Mazzola’s work with St. Tecla, he has plastered walls, and will put medieval curtains up for the open house in the function hall. He plans to cut down trees in the courtyard to put in a 10-foot waterfall in the middle with tables surrounding it.
In the patio, stone walls were ripped out as Mazzola handmade all the caps to replace them.
“This is all going to be landscaped by a professional landscaper in the spring,” said Mazzola. “It will be all landscaped and flowers here. It’s a good place for an event.”
Working on St. Tecla since this past January, Mazzola said the building should be ready for functions by the spring.
All are welcome at the open house on Thursday, Nov. 5, call Mazzola at 1-617-818-8151. St. Tecla is located at 77 Dudley Road in Billerica. For more information about Enchanted Moments, call 1-978-667-8900, or send a fax to 1-978-735-4502.