As American as Masonry

If ever a project could be termed all- American, The Meadows at Lake St.Louis is it. Its architectural style is American. The masonry is American. And finally, the development is in the heart of Middle America, where corn and soybeans grow almost in the shadow of the Gateway Arch.

Located along St.Charles County’s exploding I-40 corridor, The Meadows is touted as “St. Louis’ first lifestyle center.” Its open-air layout with two landscaped boulevards in a downtown street grid is designed to provide visitors with a unique experience that co-developers Chicago-based Davis Street Land Company and St. Louisan Bruce Johnston describe as “individualistic.”

Phase One, which broke ground last May, includes 260,000-sq.ft. of junior anchors, restaurants and specialty retail stores. These include dozens of intriguing names, among them Coldwater Creek, Chico’s, White House/Black Market, Ann Taylor Loft, Talbots., Jos. A. Bank and BC’s Kitchen, a new concept by St. Louis restaurateur Bill Cardwell.

To lure The Meadows’ up-scale target market, M+H Architects (previously known as Mitchell + Hugeback) designed The Meadows with loads of stylistic architectural features. Greeting visitors will be a center plaza area and clock tower, a pergola and stage area for outdoor events, a water feature with fountains and dock piers, and walkways of brick pavers, decorator lighting, signage and landscaping.

Everywhere you look, there’s masonry. “The owners want the look of masonry buildings because of the level of detailing that can be achieved,” says Paul Stefanski,M+H project manager. “Masonry gives it instant character.” Masonry has been integral to the success of Davis Street developments around the country, which include Plaza Frontenac and The Shops at Clarkson Corner in St. Louis.

“The owner mandated that his centers arebuilt like this, with masonry,” says Mike Heitkamp,president of Heitkamp Masonry. “He doesn’t use metal studs or tilt up concrete. He’s found that he gets good performance with masonry in his centers.”

Since the site was originally a farm field with rambling rocky meadows, the architect chose a rubble stone (Maple Ridge Blend) to dominate the entry gates and site work, an effect reminiscent of the field stone in a farm wall. The design for the buildings, on the other hand, is in contrast to the rough-hewn rubble stone, presenting instead a pleasing finished look to brick and limestone facades.

While the buildings with their broad roof overhangs and stone and brick masonry display a certain kinship with Wright’s Prairie-style, their heritage is more in line with the creations of Purcell and Elmslie. The work of the Minneapolis-based company has been described as an “independent and proud American archiscape...honest and unique expressions of the American spirit of democracy.”     

Davis Street mandated the use of loadbearing masonry at The Meadows, a challenge welcomed by the mason contractor. “We used more grout and reinforcing steel in these buildings than I’ve ever used before,” says Heitkamp, whose company has constructed such major projects as the new Busch Stadium and the Ameristar Casino tower and garage additions.

Despite the extensive grouting, Heitkamp says his major challenge was the massive volume of limestone pieces required–over 100,000. Since it was critical to get the right stone at the right time, he turned to Earthworks, eliminating potential headaches and avoiding errors that could have resulted in extensive reworking.

Officials of Lake St.Louis are delighted with the promise of the new development. “The Meadows will be key to our city’s expansion of retail offerings,” says Michael Potter, Mayor of Lake Saint Louis. “The shopping choices offered by the center, which were previously unavailable to St. Charles Co. residents, make the entire region more attractive to residents and other businesses that may want to relocate to the area.” Describing the promise of west St.Charles Co., Bruce Johnston, Davis Street’spartner, notes that the average household income in the trade area is $77,480 and that the area’s population is expected to grow 15% in the next five years. “The tremendous residential growth and infrastructure investment in the I-40 corridor makes The Meadows the logical location for the better specialty stores to expand their St. Louis presence,” he says.

When The Meadows opens this fall, it promises to provide a unique experience for St. Charles Co. residents as well as the hordes of curious visitors who no doubt will be attracted by a media publicity blitz. Given its attractive design, stimulating features and the extensive use of beautiful brick and stone, the project is already shaping up as an all-American success story right here in River City.

Architect: Mitchell+Hugeback (M+H Architects)
Engineer: Stock & Associates
General Contractor: Brinkmann Constructors
Mason Contractor: Heitkamp Masonry
Brick: Kirchner Block & Brick (Interstate)
Block: Kirchner Block & Brick
Architectural Block: Kirchner Block & Brick
Indiana Limestone: Earthworks, Midwest Cutstone
Rubble Stone: Earthworks
Sack Material: Kirchner Block & Brick
Sand: Raineri Building Products
Flashing & Accessories: Irwin Products, American Rebar

A Jeffersonian Revolution in Homes

What would St. Louis have done without Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s third president? He bought the Louisiana Territories, and St. Louis became the “Gateway City.” The (Thomas) Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and its world-famous arch have put the city on world maps. Now the legacy of Mr. Jefferson, a talented architect, has expressed itself again.

This time, it is his architectural style that is on display at the Enclave Bellerive, the CF Vatterott Construction Company’s new gated community adjacent to the Bellerive Country Club at Ladue and Mason Roads in Creve Coeur. The Lawrence Group, under the guidance of Greg Vatterott, president of CF Vatterott, has created the Enclave’s design reflecting Jefferson’s vision for the new American republic: a consistently elegant ensemble of buildings, distinctive in their style and taste.

The Enclave’s masonry residences boast a dominant central core with wings of smaller scale to each side. Meticulously detailed porticos, serpentine brick walls, round and half-round windows, domes, and carefully detailed colonnades all reflect elements of the Jeffersonian style and are enhanced by the beauty of warm 1028 Old Tumble brick from Richards Brick (stone caps: Earthworks, masonry supplies: Raineri Building Materials).  With residential price points starting in the mid-one million dollar range, CF Vatterott –which has been building locally since 1919 – hired Spencer Brickwork and its team of outstanding union craftsmen, members of Bricklayers’ Union Local Number One of Missouri, to ensure an impeccable quality of masonry construction. When completed, the community will contain 55 homes on 44 acres.

Even before completion, the project has been receiving national and local acclaim. The Enclave won the “Best in Class” award in the Community Design category of the 2007 Brick in Home Building Awards competition sponsored by the national Brick Industry Association. As a winner, the Enclave is featured in the December issue of Builder magazine.

In October, the project received three awards from the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri (HBA). The Enclave’s Virginia model was the West St. Louis County winner for Outstanding Home/ Single Family Detached, while the Charlottesville model was the “Professional’s Choice” winner. In addition, the development won for “Outstanding Site Plan.” Mr. Jefferson would have been pleased to learn that both model homes at Enclave Bellerive have earned certification under the “Green Building Initiative” of the HBA. The models became only the second and third homes in metro St. Louis to earn this distinction. As illustrated by the award-winning reception these Jeffersonian-like designs are garnering, the genius of Thomas Jefferson is once again benefiting the St. Louis area. His skill as an architect has helped make the Enclave Bellerive what might be called “a revolutionary development.” 

Award-Winning Projects 2007 - Masonry Equal Impact

Every year, a number of new construction projects in the St. Louis area receive awards from a variety of industry-related groups. While judging criteria differ from group to group, the winners exhibit a common criterion: Excellence.

In this issue, we look at a sample of the outstanding masonry projects that won awards in three of 2007’s most prestigious awards competitions: Associated General Contractors of St. Louis Keystone Awards, Home Builders Association of Greater St. Louis Homer Awards, and the American Institute of Architects/ Construction Product Council of St. Louis Design Awards.

While none of these competitions focused directly on the quality of the masonry design and construction, these values contributed to the impact of the project entries. From striking brick and stone residences to stately masonry clad buildings, the beauty of the masonry stood out and sent a clear message: Masonry is an indispensable element of the well conceived project.
project.
 

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS F ST. LOUIS (AGC)

Keystone Award

General contractor or construction manager, building construction project under $5 million

HEARTLAND BANK, LADUE
HENSLEY CONSTRUCTION

Hensley Construction took home a Keystone Award for its work on Heartland Bank’s newest location. Designed by Chiodini Associates, the project was conceived as an elegant landmark in the heart of upscale Ladue. The one-story, 3,750-sq. ft. structure is clad with cast stone and an oversized Cambridge Antique redbrick. The facade is marked by 24-ft. walls with four columns supporting a pediment, making the building appear to be two stories. The attention to small details on the building gives it great character, from the decorative windows that adorn the Heartland Bank logo to the fluted columns that give historic value to the front entry. Although the site is very constrained, the character projected by the masonry creates the sense of strength and security associated with traditional financial institutions.

General Contractor: Hensley Construction
Architect: Chiodini Associates
Mason Contractor: Kirkwood Masonry
Brick: Missouri Brick
Brick Manufacturer: Redland Brick Co. (Cushwa)
Cast stone: Continental Cast Stone
Mortar: Quikrete
Anchors/Ties/Flashing: Irwin Products

Keystone Award

General contractor or construction manager, building construction project $5 million to $20 million

LOGAN COLLEGE OF CHIROPRACTIC – WILLIAM D. PURSER, DC CENTER
S.M. WILSON

The 47,000-sq. ft. Purser Center’s exterior combines traditional masonry and modern design to convey the theme of forward-thinking education based in sound principles. The building features a contrast of Mojave-, copperand wheat-colored masonry. The most interesting and challenging aspect of the project was the installing of the manufactured stone piers that serve as the base for the curved front entryway. The piers lean out 10 degrees, which required custom pieces and careful planning for installation. The site includes numerous columns, walls and benches, including seating for an outdoor amphitheater. Completing a quadrangle formation, the Purser Center enables Logan College to project a state-of-the-art image to attract a student base from around the world.

General Contractor: S.M. Wilson & Co.
Architect: TR,i Architects; Curtis Cassel, AIA
Mason Contractor: Leonard Masonry
Brick: Kirchner Block & Brick
Brick Manufacturer: Mutual Brick
Cast stone: United Commercial Cast Stone
Columns: Arriscraft International
Mortar: Quikrete

HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER ST. LOUIS (HBA)

Homer Award

Outstanding Custom Home, West St. Louis County

CONWAY ROAD RESIDENCE
CROWDUS CUSTOM HOMES

With its large bays and hip roof, this 7,400-sq. ft., two-story residence is designed in a modified Traditional style. The red and brown shades of the oversized Stamford brick nicely offset the gray and white tones of the stone that skirts the front elevation, adding balance and dimension to the design. Cultured stone matching the natural stone is utilized to wrap the two independent fireplace chases above the roofline. According to the builder, the warmth and charm of the brick and stone masonry reflect the personality of the buyers, people who appreciate “quality, value, class and style” in their daily lives.

Builder: Crowdus Custom Homes
Architect: Hollander SJ Architect
Mason Contractor: Swanson Masonry
Brick: Richards Brick
Brick Type: Stamford
Eden Stone: Earthworks
Anchors/Ties/Flashing: Irwin Products
Mortar: Earthworks

Homer Award

Outstanding Custom Home, South St. Louis County

ARBOUR KNOLL PLACE RESIDENCE
SCHMEERBAUCH CUSTOM HOMES

The front elevation of this 5,250-sq. ft. residence makes effective use of stone and brick in a variety of stimulating combinations: window surrounds and keystones alternate from stone to brick depending on the field masonry they complement, while stone splashes and a wing wall provide additional interest. Inside, the home features a unique entry foyer with reverse-flaired descending staircase and multi-colored stone floors. There are three fireplaces, with the stone fireplace in the hearth room being the focal point of the large kitchen area. A walk-in glass block shower highlights one of the home’s six bathrooms. The residence also includes
a large, covered verandah with a private bath in the pool area, movie theater, walk-in wine cellar, exercise room with infra-red sauna, and a large wet bar. The project also received a platinum “Home of the Year” award from St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles magazine.

Builder: Schmeerbauch Custom Homes
Designer: Randy Schmeerbauch
Draftsman: John Wolk
Registered Professional Engineer: Tony DiMercurio
Mason Contractor: L & L Brick Contracting Co.
Brick: Kirchner Block & Brick
Stone: Earthworks
Cut Stone: Lager Monument
Anchors/Ties/Flashing: Irwin Products
Mortar: Earthworks

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS/CONSTRUCTION PRODUCT COUNCIL OF ST. LOUIS

Architecture Merit Award

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION CENTER
CANNON DESIGN

Designed by St. Louis-based Cannon Design, this $57.2 million project rises five stories above a bluff on the KU Medical Campus in Kansas City, Kansas. The KLSIC is a 212,200-sq.ft. concrete frame structure with a masonry, glass, and precast stone exterior. Brick comprises most (about 32,000-sq. ft.) of the exterior, and was selected to complement the surrounding campus. The building features 22,000-sq. ft. of red sandstone precast panels imported from India. The ground floor of the KLSIC has 4,000-sq. ft. of terrazzo flooring with distinctive earth-toned geometric patterns.

Design Architect: Cannon Design
Architect of Record: GLPM, Lawrence, Kansas
Engineer: Cannon Design
General Contractor: Turner Construction Co.

 

No Gamble with Masonry - Ameristar Casino

Everything about this project is big, from exterior elevations that tower 300-ft. above the ground to a strategically deployed army of tradesmen. Located next to one of America’s great rivers, the Ameristar Casino’s new hotel and spa project is taking shape as a high-end addition to the area’s recreational alternatives. When completed, this new $265 million facility in St. Charles will include a 400-room all-suite luxury hotel, a 7,000 sq. ft. Full-service spa, an indoor/outdoor pool area with landscaped grounds and waterfalls, as well as a nine-story garage with 2,350-space parking garage. The first phase of the expansion containing 19,200 square feet of state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities opened last September.

Meeting the project’s December 7th deadline put a premiumon the scheduling of the various trades onto the scaffoldingscaling the building’s exterior. “It’s like a fine Swiss watch,” aid Heitkamp Masonry’s project manager Geoff Hart, who also ran his company’s operations at the new Busch Stadium. “If one of the parts breaks down, then nothing happens.” As elaborate as the stadium project was, Hart contends it wasn’t as complicated as the Ameristar, which is the second largest masonry high-rise under construction in the United States. “In terms of scope, (Ameristar) is more complex and at a higher dollar value than the stadium,” he said.

Efficient scheduling is critical on a high-rise project like the 25-story hotel. On a normal site such as at Busch Stadium, if the masonry crew can’t access a given area they can work elsewhere on site. But with high-rise construction, if something creates a bottleneck the bricklaying crew has to wait until it is cleared.

“We worked closely with Vince Irwin of Irwin Products to engineer the Hydro Mobile scaffolding system,” Hart said. The resulting combination included 15 scaffolds arranged so that there was 60-ft. span of scaffold platform between towers. A canopy of 9-gauge metal decking was erected overhead to protect the men from debris from above, and netting was hung underneath to protect workers below.

Keeping the trades running smoothly on the scaffolding required close coordination between Heitkamp’s Art Seibert, general superintendent, and Jason Seibert, general foreman, who worked as a team with Walton Construction’s Dan Hunyar. “Art and Jason Siebert really helped the job progress,” said Hunyar. “I don’t think we’d be at the point we are with the masonry without their dedication and input to the project.”

The carpenters typically worked from swing stage scaffolding above the masons, installing their studs, drywall, sheathing etc. The ironworkers, who install shelf angles for the brick, worked on the corrugated metal roofing of the scaffolding one floor above the masons laying brick on the floor below.

While much of the work proceeded as planned, there were complications along the way. To accommodate the pace of the glazing, Walton designed a platform that allowed the glazier crew to work  eneath the main platform while the masons worked above. Thanks to this kind of ingenuity, construction sped along. “We originally thought we would turn a floor in six days,” Hart said. “But with Walton and Heitkamp working hand in hand to coordinate all the trades on the scaffolding, we were able to turn a floor in four days.”

Concessions to Mother Nature have also had a major impact on the project, which is located in both a flood plain and an earthquake zone. In May, heavy rains upstream created a surge of water 30-ft. above flood stage, dumping a foot of water over the base of the scaffolding and forcing a three-week shutdown.

Seismic zone requirements drove PGAV Architects (Kansas City) to come up with an unusual hybrid design combining high-rise technology with a traditional veneer system, all subject to stringent seismic stipulations. “The building exterior has to be able to move one inch in each direction,” Hart explained. “That means that the exterior components– studs, drywall, masonry, GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete), and caulking–have to work in concert,” he said, adding that Ameristar represents the first time this kind of design has been executed in the local market.

To help meet seismic considerations, GFRC was specified instead of heavier precast concrete for the corners, window surrounds, sills and cornices. Heitkamp’s masons used welding and mechanical connections to set the GFRC in place. “The bricklayers of Bricklayers Union Local #1 of Missouri have excellent welding skills and are very suited for installing this kind of material,” Hart said. “In fact, I think that the picture of a bricklayer of the future may show a trowel in one hand and a welding torch in the other,” he said.

Cleaning of the exterior walls will be handled in four-floor increments, with the cleaner working on a four-floor block before the caulker moves in behind him, the two moving in concert.

From I - 70, daily commuters have witnessed an impressive 300- ft. tall structure rising high above. But what they can’t see is the genius of the underlying construction.

A lintel at every floor slab supports the brick. There’s a horizontal control joint every 9-ft. 4-in and a vertical control joint at every building corner separating the GFRC and the brick, two-in. on one side and three-quarters in. on the other. Thanks to its hybrid design, if there is a seismic event the building is able to move and ride out the quake.

It may sound ironic, but Ameristar Casinos doesn’t gamble. In calling for a skilled union masonry construction team to build this complex high-rise project, ownership has demonstrated that it knows that success doesn’t have to be a roll of the dice. In this case, it’s a sure thing!

Masonry Industry set for Peak Season Performance

Following a solid year in 2006, commercial construction activity in the St.Louis-area is predicted to be heavy once again this year. With estimates ranging somewhere between $10- and $13-billion dollars for 2007, the masonry industry has been gearing up to handle the year’s peak summer season.

 
“Our membership now is as high as it has been since the early ‘70s,” said Don Brown,business manager for Bricklayers’ Union Local No.1 of Missouri, AFC-CIO,which has been building St. Louis’ masonry heritage since the Civil War. With a workforce of some 1700 bricklayers in Eastern Missouri, Local #1 can handle the slate of scheduled projects on the Missouri side of the river. While the manpower numbers are solid, if necessary the union can dip into manpower reserves from surrounding regions.

“We can always make a call to the locals that border us– Local 15 in Kansas City, Local 23 in Southeast Missouri and Local 8 in Southern Illinois,” Brown said. “Journeymen from these areas constantly come over here looking for work. We probably have around 50 to 100 working on (Eastern Missouri) projects right now.”

Local #1 can also utilize the job placement program of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers as an additional backup layer of manpower. Through this program, Local #1 can put out a call throughout the U.S. and Canada for bricklayers who belong to the international union.

Over at the Bricklayers Apprentice School,which trains all the bricklayers of Local #1, Instructor/Coordinator Mark Kruetzmanis bullish on the outlook for the masonry industry. “It’s going to be a fantastic year and everybody should do well,” he said at the school’s Earth City facility, which is operated jointly by Bricklayers’ Local #1 and the St. Louis Mason Contractors Association.During his three-year tenure at the helm of the Apprentice School-a model for other schools across the country, Kruetzman has seen the school average better than 130 apprentices in the program. “We have roughly 30 guys coming into the
program and 30 guys graduating every year,” he said.

While Kruetzman has heard rumors of manpower shortages in the skilled construction trades, he doesn’t believe they apply to the Eastern Missouri masonry industry. “There may be some spot skilled trade shortages in other areas of the country,” he said, “but these could easily reflect the lack of technical training in other metropolitan areas. A lot of areas are just getting around to starting apprentice programs.”

According to Kruetzman, not only is there a solid supply of area bricklayers, but advances in equipment have also increased their productivity. For example, newer motorized scaffolding goes up faster than conventional units, increasing productivity and safety while speeding the completion of a project. “You can see large sections of wall going up in one day because of some of these improvements,” Kruetzman said.

The Laborer Locals, who provide the area’s mason tenders, report their labor pipeline is full. “I can guarantee you thereare enough qualified laborers to do the mason tending,” said Patrick Pryor,director of the Labor Management Committee for the Eastern Missouri Laborer’sDistrict Council Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust (LECET).

Laborers’ Locals 42, 53 and 110 can currently field approximately 8800 workers in EasternMissouri. Pryor attributes the large number of construction workers to the advance planning of LECET training officials. “We’ve been hearing for several years that there was going to be a shortage of skilled craftspeople, so we’ve been gearing up our training and graduating more apprentices every year with that in mind,” Pryor said. “Because we stepped up our program, I wouldn’t anticipate a shortage of laborers to fill the manpower needs for the foreseeable future.”

Equally bullish on the summer outlook are the suppliers of masonry materials. Two years ago, Kirchner Block & Brick added a new $17-million, 53,000-sq. ft. production facility in Earth City, effectively doubling the company’s production capability.The investment is paying offfor the company as well as those who design and build with concrete masonry. “Lead-times for architectural split and ground-faced (Lusterstone) units are at an all-time low,” said Paul Wienke,Kirchner vice- president and general manager. “In several instances during this last year, we have been able to produce special order material that required a near- immediate turnaround within days of receiving the order.”

Don Marquess,president of Missouri Brick & Supply Co.,reports an equally positive story about the outlook on the brick side of the masonry equation. “Most of our brick manufacturers have product within four to six weeks. The brick are plentiful and many are currently in stock,” he said. John Motley,general manager for Richards Brick Co.,the area’s only remaining brick manufacturer, agrees with Marquess’ assessment. “Brick production capacity in the United States is higher than ever before with new plants coming on line. In general, brick availability is excellent,” he said. “As always, commercial jobs, special
production and particular kinds of brick require a reasonable lead time.”

“The continuing success of the masonry industry is going to take a team effort,” said Brian Grant,president of the local Mason Contractors Assoc.and Grant Masonry Contracting. “For our part, the MCA continues to educate and train the union mason contractors to the highest professional standards so that they can continue to maintain their competitive edge against other construction methods.”

St. Louis is known for its stock of outstanding masonry structures, from historic buildings such as Union Station and the Wainwright Building to more contemporary treasures like Clayton Plaza, the Eagleton Building and Washington University’s Whitaker and Earth and Planetary Sciences buildings, just to name just a few. Over the years, the masonryindustry has proved it can handle the signature projects as well as the flow of everyday projects. With an abundance of manpower and materials, the training, the experience and the equipment, the industry is ready for whatever owners and architects can create. As Don Brown says of his men at Bricklayers’ Local #1, “However large the challenge, we’re ready for it!”

Federal Reserve Banks on Leonard

Every day trucks deliver tens of millions of dollars of cash and millions of checks to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, headquartered at 411 Locust Street. Leonard Masonry is a team member on a complex project which will help the bank deliver on its commitment to remain in Downtown St. Louis.

As one of 12 Federal Reserve districts, the St. Louis Fed is the financial nerve center for eastern Missouri, western Kentucky, western Tennessee, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and northern Mississippi. The bank here also coordinates the Federal Reserve System’s financial services to the United States Treasury Department.

As a result of the new security mandates and a commitment to remain Downtown the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has embarked on a $77.8 million renovation and expansion program due for completion in 2009 W. LeGrande Rives, first vice president and COO of the St. Louis Federal Reserve said.  

Following 9-11 the federal government beefed up security requirements around regional banks.

“After 9/11, the federal banking system developed a host of new security requirements that all regional Reserve banks had to comply with,” Rives said. Because the bank looms over Downtown streets, Bank officials seriously considered building a new facility elsewhere.Under the construction direction of Volk Construction Company and McCarthy Building Companies, the St. Louis Fed project includes the construction of an off-site materials screening facility, a landscaped pedestrian plaza on the now-vacated 400 block of Locust Street, a new high-security visitor entrance, the purchase of an existing parking garage, and a new six-story addition encompassing 143,893 square feet of office with penthouse and one level below grade, and an unloading facility.

Under the construction direction of Volk Construction Company and McCarthy Building Companies, the St. Louis Fed project includes the construction of an off-site materials screening facility, a landscaped pedestrian plaza on the now-vacated 400 block of Locust Street, a new high-security visitor entrance, the purchase of an existing parking garage, and a new six-story addition encompassing 143,893 square feet of office with penthouse and one level below grade, and an unloading facility.

Wrapping it all up are exterior upgrades emulating the original building’s 1920s-era limestone facade. Leonard has been involved in various phases of the project, including the completed Locust pedestrian plaza. The limestone facade, which offers a unique set of challenges, is part of the work currently being executed by Leonard craftsmen.   

The North Building of the original complex was an uninspiring yellow brick and bore no resemblance to the 1926 limestone South Building that it needed to match. In order to create a “twin” of the original building, McCarthy and Leonard needed to modify window openings on the North Building, match the granite foundation and bush-hammered limestone of the South Building, and line up the courses of the cladding with the courses on the other building.

Three truckloads of granite from Cold Springs Granite in Maine and 47 truckloads of limestone from Evans Limestone in Indiana will be used in cladding the North building and the addition.

As a blast-security measure, the Broadway exposure of the North Building was clad in a layer of precast concrete prior to hanging the limestone. Drilling holes for anchors in the concrete as well as some of the block work inside the building had to be accomplished during a late shift in order to eliminate excessive noise in the bank during the work day.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Parishioners in Washington, Mo., worship in a beautifully crafted church that showcases a mixture of traditional German gothic architecture and modern amenities. Architect Chiodini Associates selected brick as the main exterior material because of its prevalence in Washington and to match a nearby school building.

Leonard Masonry’s work on Our Lady of Lourdes included a combination of brick, cast stone and split-faced block. Visitors enter the lower level through a masonry feature including three arches separated by columns. The sanctuary entrance has a massive brick façade with four soaring columns. The brick columns on both levels feature recessed brick lines on all four sides to provide additional architectural interest. They are supported by split-faced block topped with sloped cast stone. Recessed and protruding brick patterns are further incorporated into the masonry on the bell tower and along the top of the building under cast stone accents. Cast stone is used throughout the design to accent windows and columns. Pointed arch windows are surrounded by cast stone and then corbelled brick. Cast stone provides a band around the top of the building and additional horizontal bands add interest among a sea of brick.

 

Completion Date: 2004

Awards:
Fall 2006 - Masonry Institute of St. Louis Excellence in Masonry Award "Distinction in Craftsmanship"
Spring 2005 - MCAA International Excellence in Masonry Awards "2nd Place Honor"

 

 

St. John the Apostle Church

Erected circa 1857, the towers on the St. John the Apostle Church had badly deteriorated with abundant settlement cracks and open joints. Leonard Masonry temporarily removed each tower roof via crane, demolished the existing brick and installed new brick with a reinforced CMU backup. Steel lintels, plates and rebar provided structural support to the masonry, while a combination of solid-grouted and cavity walls control storm water penetration.

Due to the church’s city landmark status, the new construction had to match the existing in all respects, including exterior dimension, proportion, detail and color. The architect and Leonard Masonry collaborated through meticulous material selection and installation to achieve a seamless transition from new to old.

 

Completion Date: 2006

Awards:
Fall 2005 - AIA/CPC "Honor Award for Masonry Craftsmanship"

 

 

 

 

Private Residence Pool House

Leonard Masonry completed an addition, extensive site work and a beautiful new pool house that mimics the historical design of this private residence, built in 1921. The existing home is composed mainly of brick with limestone frieze trim, arches, pilasters, brick terraces with stone rails, and slate roofing. It was vitally important to the owner that the new and old blend perfectly. To achieve this look, Leonard Masonry installed a brick veneer with limestone window sills, brick soldier and limestone key headers at all openings, and a limestone panel base.

The pool house incorporates carved and profiled limestone that matches the dining room patio entrance to the main house. Detailed carvings under the roofline are identical to those found at the main residence. Fluted, tapered columns separate the openings into the pool house. The two-way tapers were difficult to carve, tapering from the ground up and from left to right. On the east side, stone balustrades guide visitors from a brick-paved terrace down into the yard, while the west side leads to the pool.

 

Completion Date: Spring 2006

Awards:
Fall 2006 - AIA/CPC "Excellence in Design for Masonry Craftsmanship"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington University Farrell Learning & Teaching Center

Leonard Masonry completed a high-quality installation for the Washington University Farrell Learning & Teaching Center that incorporated 300,000 bricks, eight truckloads of limestone and two containers of granite. The building’s exterior is composed of Beldin brick with limestone windowsills and accents above a granite base. The brick veneer incorporates specialized vertical control joints to regulate expansion and movement. The east elevation includes a larger concentration of stone set into a glass curtainwall system.

Leonard Masonry meticulously hand carved the building’s name over the main entrance and on a freestanding sign. Craftsmen also cut 1-foot-thick granite caps for the piers lining the sides of the exterior steps. The entrance features brick pavers in the nearby hospital’s typical pattern and a granite floor pattern. On the interior, the masonry contractor installed granite steps leading to the second floor, countertops in serving areas and limestone bases.

 

Completion Date: August 2005
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Logan College Purser Center

Leonard Masonry served as the masonry contractor for the Dr. William D. Purser Center on the campus of Logan College of Chiropractic.

The building’s exterior combines more traditional masonry with modern design, conveying the theme of forward-thinking education based in sound principles. The building features a contrast of Mojave, copper and wheat-colored brick. Copper is the main color, with 140,000 bricks, accented by 47,000 Mojave and 33,000 wheat bricks. The most interesting and challenging aspect of the project were the manufactured stone piers that serve as the base for the curved front entryway. The piers lean out 10 degrees, which required custom pieces and careful planning for installation. Exterior improvements were made to include a network of walkways, upgraded roadways, student parking and a central fountain to link the building to a quadrangle formation. Leonard Masonry installed numerous columns, walls and benches around the site, including seating for an outdoor amphitheatre.

 

Completion Date: June 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Louis Community College - Wildwood Campus

St. Louis Community College debuted the first building on its new campus in Wildwood, Mo., in time for the 2007-2008 school year. Leonard Masonry designed intricate masonry details that are integral to the design of the facility, both on the interior and exterior. The exterior consists of 240,000 red brick and 7,300 pieces of prairie stone. Brick detail was incorporated on almost every surface of the exterior, with the exception of the brick towers.

Due to its double curve, the colonnade at the main entrance of the building was the most challenging installation. The colonnade starts out straight toward the rear and curves forward to form a covered walkway. To save the client money, Leonard Masonry recommended cast stone instead of prairie stone for the archways. While the manufacturer had the hardest task of creating these double-curved pieces, the installation itself also required a number of field adjustments. Leonard Masonry had to carefully line everything up to maintain a smooth curve throughout the walkway. The rotunda at the rear was less challenging; even though it had curved pieces, they were smaller, and there were no arches.

St. Louis Community College pursued LEED certification for the project.

Completion Date: January 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Masonry Institute of St. Louis Excellence in Masonry Award

Fall 2006 - "Merit in Craftsmanship" - Emerson Grand Basin (photo)

Masonry Institute of St. Louis Excellence in Masonry Award

Fall 2006 - "Distinction in Craftsmanship" - Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (photo)

Masonry Institute of St. Louis Excellence in Masonry Award

Fall 2006 - "Excellence in Craftsmanship" - Washington University Uncas A. Whitaker Earth & Planetary Science building (photo)

AIA/CPC (American Institute of Architects/Construction Products Council)

Fall 2006 – “Honorable Mention Award for Masonry Craftsmanship” – Federal Reserve Bank

AIA/CPC (American Institute of Architects/Construction Products Council)

Fall 2006 – “Excellence in Design for Masonry Craftsmanship” – Private Residence Pool House (photo)

Masonry Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Awards

2005 - "International Excellence in Masonry 2nd Place Honor" - Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (photo)

AIA/CPC (American Institute of Architects/Construction Products Council)

Fall 2005 - "Honor Award for Masonry Craftsmanship" - St. John Apostle and Evangelist Catholic Church (photo)

Masonry Construction Magazine Project of the Year Awards

July 2005 - "Project of the Year - Best Landscaping Project" - Emerson Grand Basin (photo)

Touching Lives through Habitat for Humanity

When Habitat for Humanity officials approached the Masonry Institute for help with their Jeff-Vander-Lou project last year, they came to the right place. Habitat was going to build 20 new homes on the city’s north side and they wanted to include brick fronts on the units to match those in the surrounding neighborhood. To do that, they needed the assistance of the masonry industry.

“As soon as we learned of Habitat’s need, we went to our mason contractors and suppliers,” said Darrell McMillian, P.E., MISL executive director. “They’re the key to the construction of a project like this.”

The first step was to put the request before the union mason contractors who would be asked to donate the labor—an expensive proposition for the bricklaying companies. “A contractor has to give up maybe two days for a crew and equipment,” said David Gillick, executive director of the Mason Contractors Association of St. Louis. Gillick announced the request at his association’s next meeting and received the response he anticipated. “We’ve got a very good group of guys.” Gillick said, “They stepped up.”

John Jahnsen of Jahnsen Masonry Contractor, who volunteered a crew, was typical in his reaction. “My company does a lot of work in St. Louis,” he said. “I thought this would be a good way to give something back to the city.”

The project included 18 separate two-story units, including a pair of two-family structures. Heitkamp Masonry and John J. Smith Masonry Co. volunteered to brick the two-family units. The single-family units were handled by ABC Masonry, Brinker Contracting Co., Caswell Brickwork, Fred L. Davis Co., E.C. Landers Brickwork, Frisch Masonry, Grant Contracting Co., Martin Heck Brick Contracting Co., Jahnsen Masonry Contractor, JDS Masonry, Lampkin Masonry, Leonard Masonry, L&L Brick Contracting, Doug Nichols Masonry, Spencer Brickwork, and Swanson Masonry. All these firms employ members of Bricklayers’ Union Local No. 1 of Missouri.

With the labor commitments falling into place, it was time to seek out the masonry building materials—bricks, mortar, anchors, etc. Again, the industry was generous in its response. “I think the Habitat for Humanity program is an excellent way to help the underprivileged and the less fortunate,” said Jason Rainey of the Simpson Materials Co., who provided the mortar. “Because our company is an integral part of the masonry industry, we saw this as an opportunity to help pay back the community.”

Vince Irwin, whose Irwin Products donated the special wall ties that were required by the project’s specifications, agreed. “I think (the donations) say a lot about the masonry industry in this town and what it has to offer,” he said. “Just look at all the suppliers who pitched in with brick, mortar and all the other materials. Everybody came together and worked as a team.”

In addition to Simpson Materials Co. and Irwin Products, masonry suppliers who contributed to the project’s success included Kirchner Block & Brick, Buchheit Supply, Earthworks, Enloe Enterprise, Missouri Brick & Supply, Raineri Construction Products, and Richards Brick Co.

Through the years, the masonry community has donated a significant amount of time and equipment to make St. Louis a better place to live and work. As the Habitat for Humanity project demonstrates, today that commitment is as strong as ever.

Saint Louis County Justice Center Clayton

 

 

St. Louis Children’s Hospital

Cochran Housing Facility

Ferris Harris Apartments

Evans Scholarship Residential Facility

Marconi Residence

Delmar Gardens Retirement Center

Leonard Residence

 

 

 

Private Residence 3

Leonard Masonry’s craftsmanship is showcased in both intricate detail and monumental stone throughout the home. The contemporary design incorporates a stone veneer exterior with limestone trim and an EIFS (exterior insulated finished system) covering portions of the exterior. A large cut stone band stretches around the exterior, modulating to form different planes and a transition between the stone and EIFS.  A low-hip roof with large overhangs is composed of Pennsylvania slate with purple hues to echo the window framing and purple Chilton cut stone that comprises 20 percent of the mix in the exterior walls.  Leonard Masonry also installed matching stone veneer on a detached five-car garage and garden walls of cut stone at the front entrance.

Leonard Masonry built five fireplaces within the residence, including two composed of cut stone. A large decorative limestone archway with triangular corner cutouts and overhang frames the main entry.  The property also features antique French limestone walkways that provide access to the front of the home and rear patio areas and garden walls of cut stone at the front entrance. Leonard Masonry’s work on the interior included the five fireplaces, marble columns and granite countertops throughout the house.

 

Completion Date: June 2000

 

Awards:
Fall 2001 - AIA/CPC "Honor Award for Masonry Craftsmanship"
Spring 2002 - MCAA International Excellence in Masonry Award "Honorable Mention"

 

800 N. Hanley Condominiums

Claytonian Condominiums

Private Residence 1

Designed in the style of a French chateau, this private residence features a variety of unique masonry details.  Using Marley Tudor brick and Indiana limestone, the residence features an intricate basket weave pattern on the front entryway, front chimney stack east side and southern exposure. Raised bricks protrude from the exterior in interconnecting diamonds to create the basket weave pattern. The front chimney is topped by two diamond-shaped stacks, while the remainder of the exterior features a running bound brick pattern.

Other exterior features include bonded brick or limestone arches around doors and architrave around windows. Balcony balustrades and water table bands provide additional accents around the house. Leonard Masonry also installed solid limestone steps and had to cut lights to fit in the stone. The interior features seven fireplaces, five of which have visible exterior stacks, including the fireplace on the veranda. Stone comprises the entire veranda fireplace, while the others are primarily wood with stone accents.

 

Completion Date: May 2001

Awards:
Summer 2004 - Masonry Construction Magazine Project of the Year Award "Residential Category"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hallmark Creve Coeur

Sitting on an urban site backed by woods and a lake, The Hallmark of Creve Coeur provides a new style of living for seniors in the St. Louis area. Consisting of six levels and a garage, the 317,000-square-foot masonry veneer retirement community is located in the heart of Creve Coeur, Mo., in west St. Louis County. A member of the Brookdale Living Communities network, the 218-unit facility provides both independent and assisted living.

Masonry is a standard element in Brookdale facilities. Through the use of horizontal bands of masonry, the building appears to be a self-contained cruise ship snuggled into a lake. The horizontal bands include a limestone concrete split-face block base with a deep wine-colored brick veneer in the middle, topped by limestone-colored brick at the roofline. Leonard Masonry also installed natural limestone bands, windowsills and detailed masonry around the porte cachere. In addition to the exterior, Leonard Masonry installed granite countertops in four public restrooms, the general store, the lobby area, the buffet and completed precast pavers on the grand terrace patio.

Completion Date: July 2002

Awards:
Fall 2002 - Masonry Construction Magazine Project of the Year Award - "Honorable Mention - Multifamily Housing Category"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Private Residence 2

The owners of this private residence located in Ladue, Mo., wanted to achieve the feel of a French cottage as well as the effect of a new house that looked 100 years old. Leonard Masonry achieved the country French feel through the selection of old-world stone and stucco for the 10,000-square-foot home.

With the actively involved owner, Leonard Masonry completed the exterior veneer, stone fireplaces and site paving. Belden brick, a reddish hand-cast brick and a special stone design that blended brick, stone and blue stone in three different colors. Leonard Masonry also used uniquely shaped brick, natural-color mortar and rake joints to make the house more prominent. The residence further features a brick rowlock around the house, blue-gray windows, a driveway edged in cobblestone and a natural stone patio. 

Completion Date: June 2001

Awards:
Fall 2002 - Masonry Construction Magazine Project of the Year Award - "Project of the Year - Residential Category" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manchester United Methodist Church

Manchester United Methodist Church, designed in a "loose" interpretation of Federal/Colonial style, ties together the rich architectural and masonry history of the site while also providing a 1,200-seat sanctuary and education space for this fast-growing congregation. Leonard Masonry built custom scaffolding for this challenging masonry installation.

A custom blend brick in a Garden Wall Flemish Bond was selected to match the historic buildings and tied into the existing sanctuary. A high level of craftsmanship also was required to install the massive field of diagonal brick on the south elevation. The diagonal pattern surrounds a stone-framed rose window, which, in turn, is surrounded by a grand arch made up of a running bond pattern of special shaped bricks. Four limestone pilaster columns support the cornice and pediment above. Three smaller arches framing the same diamond pattern were constructed along the west elevation, just north of a large ceremonial west entrance. An impressive masonry steeple base features a round window with limestone trim, including four limestone keystones used as accents.

Completion Date: September 1998

Awards:
Fall 2000 - Masonry Institute of St. Louis "Excellence Award in Brickwork"
2001 - International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craft Workers BAC Craft Award "Best Brick Project"

 

 

 

MetroLink Light Rail Transit System

Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul

 

The New Marillac Provincialate was constructed as the new headquarters of the West Central Province for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul. Leonard Masonry designed the facility with finished brick and limestone to provide textured characteristics that tie into the neighborhood and the St. Louis environment.

The entire facility is finished with brick, heavy rock-faced limestone and hand-carved smooth limestone. These familiar features provide St. Louis characteristics such as horizontal banding, limestone carved coping, masonry arched window heads hand carved of limestone, a limestone carved colonnade and a solid base of heavy rock-faced limestone. All design elements of the project link the building to the historic Gaslight Square neighborhood.

 

Completion Date: April 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chase Park Plaza Restoration

Located next to Forest Park, Chase Park Plaza has regained its original elegance with a $100 million renovation in which Leonard Masonry restored the signature terra cotta along the hotel’s southern exposure.

Leonard Masonry removed all of the broken terra cotta pieces, cleaned out crevices and provided shoring to support existing masonry and protect the patio deck. Using the original pieces for reference, sculptors created patterns with molds, finished them with carving details and finally oxides were added to create an exact glazed color match.

Completion date: June 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Missouri Temple

Situated on a prominent hill along U.S. 40/I-64, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints literally “reaches toward heaven.” Arches, pilasters and a dramatic single spire topped by a gold leafed statue of the Angel Moroni rises 150 feet above the terrace. Bethel white granite panels and cast stone cladding provide the temple with its simple, elegant look, suggesting heavenly cleanliness.

The temple is designed in a transitional style using traditional elements. Leonard Masonry clad the temple in 2-1/4-inch-thick Bethel white granite panels surrounded by a cast stone base, water table, pilasters, cornice and arched window topped by a keystone. The interior of the temple features Bethel white granite with a polished finish at the radiused recommend desk and the circular Baptismal Font and glass railing. The interiors also are accented with matching granite.

 

Completion Date: April 1997

Awards:
1998 - MCAA "Excellence in Masonry" 2nd Place
Fall 2000 - Masonry Institute of St. Louis "Merit Award in Stonework"

 

 

Emerson Grand Basin

 

Host to the 1904 World’s Fair, St. Louis’ Forest Park has undergone a massive transformation during the past nine years, including the restoration of the Emerson Grand Basin to its former glory.

Leonard Masonry’s craftsmen installed all-new bridges, steps, benches and skirting at boat landing areas. Leonard Masonry also installed pilasters with balustrades between them, placing a coping piece on top of the bottom rail, followed by the baluster and the top rail with a cap. The installation included more than 9,000 pieces of cast stone.

 

Completion Date: Fall 2003

 

Awards:
Fall 2006 - Masonry Institute of St. Louis - "Merit in Craftsmanship"
Spring 2005 - MCAA "Project of the Year - Rehab/Restoration"
Fall 2005 - MCM "Project of the Year - Best Landscaping Project"
Fall 2004 - AIA/CPC "Merit Award for Masonry Craftsmanship"