Photography by Paul Crosby

Best Marble Project
Local 1 Minnesota/North Dakota
Medical Research Facility
Rochester, Minnesota

Signatory Contractor: Twin City Tile and Marble Company

A project the size and scope of this medical research facility and clinic in Rochester, Minnesota – one of the most advanced treatment and research facilities in the world – required the best trained craftworkers available. Meeting that criteria was no problem for members of Local 1 Minnesota/North Dakota who were more than qualified to carry out this crucial mission.

The building’s rippling façade is a curtain wall system of glass, stainless steel, and Samba White granite from Brazil. Over 130,000 square-feet of interior stone from 11 different national origins were used on this project, which kept a total of 38 Local 1 members, employed by Twin City Tile and Marble Company, working in phases over a three-year period.

The Clinic’s underground walkway connects to two other facilities offering easy access to a range of clinical activities. The illuminated lobby welcomes visitors with warm-toned Roman Travertine and Crema Fedora marble.

Roughly 53,000 square feet of material was used for the lobby finishes on the floor levels used for clinical purposes. All floors are 1-1/4” thick and installed in a mortar bed of Portland Cement and sand used with a bonding agent on the back of the stone to secure it in place. The walls, columns, and steps are held to 1/8” joints and anchored with copper wire and molding plaster, while floors are held with tighter 1/16” joints.

With more than 3.5 million square feet of interior space, the three interconnected buildings form the largest integrated medical facility of its kind in the world.

Best Cement Masonry Project
Local 1 Michigan
Visteon Village
Van Buren Township, Michigan

Signatory Contractor: Simone Contracting Corporation

Situated on a 265-acre site in Van Buren Township, Michigan is Visteon Village – an 800,000 square-foot facility that provides a central location for many of the employees of the Visteon Corporation – a leading supplier of automotive technology.

From November 2003 through September 2004, six Local 1 Michigan cement masons, working for Simone Contracting Corporation, installed 148,000 square feet of concrete walkways, footings, and walls. Concrete construction alone on this project totaled $2.4 million. Various types of concrete were used throughout the course of this project including exposed aggregate finish, sombrero buff-colored, and traditional grey. One of the most appealing elements of the project was the use of a pea stone mix for the exposed aggregate concrete finish. The pea stone cement was poured and finished, sprayed with a retarding agent to keep the top from setting, and covered with a visqueen plastic sheeting. The following day, the surface was uncovered and powerwashed to expose the aggregate.

With over 70,000 employees worldwide, Visteon continues to be an auto parts industry leader – and thanks to the skilled craftsmanship and dedication of Local 1 Michigan, they have a state-of-the-art facility in which to work.

Best Terrazzo Project
Local 67 Illinois
Midwestern University
Downers Grove, Illinois

Signatory Contractor: Metropolitan Terrazzo

In June 2004, members of Local 67 Illinios, working for Metropolitan Terrazzo, completed work on Midwestern University’s latest classroom and laboratory addition for the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Installation of the epoxy terrazzo flooring in the 20,000 square-foot facility kept 10 members on the job for four months, accumulating a total of 1,631 work-hours.

The multi-colored epoxy terrazzo floor, enhanced by the flooring’s colored glass and mirror, allowed the university to match existing color schemes used throughout the campus. On the second floor, for example, the grey epoxy floor was designed to accent the colors of the various wall coverings in the hallways.

As the most durable flooring on the market, epoxy terrazzo has no problem holding up to conditions created by Chicago’s cold winters and warm summers, and remains one of the most cost effective products to maintain over time.

Best Tile Project
Local 15 Missouri/Kansas
Cinemark Theatre
Kansas City, Missouri

Signatory Contractor: Midland Marble & Granite

No matter what movie is playing, the excellent craftsmanship of Local 15 Missouri/Kansas members and the building’s show-stopping masonry details are still getting rave reviews at the Cinemark Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. Nine Local 15 members, employed by Midland Marble & Granite, spent six months on the
$28 million project.

Adorning the entrance is a unique mural with the universal symbol of theatre – tragedy and comedy masks – etched in granite. Once inside, the extraordinary effort put forth by members is clearly visible in the spiraling granite design installed in the theatre’s floor, staircase, and escalator support. The stairways feature a 12” by 12” pattern laid with stair nosing, imported from Portugal, grouted in gray. The broken marble and granite walkways were grouted in black-sanded grout and hand-rubbed with burlap to smooth the material’s sharp edges. Not a single piece of broken material was wasted in creating this exquisite marble pattern.

Hallways were installed with 8” by 8” tile and offset with a resin cast bronze colored tile. Restroom walls consist of Mayan White Tile, and 12” by 12” straight joint pattern floors are complemented with an offset checkerboard pattern. The cinema’s VIP room for parties features 12” by 12” Baltic brown granite.

Best Mosaic Project
Local 36, Northern Ohio Administrative District Council
Church of the Resurrection
Solon, Ohio

Signatory Contractor: Suburban Marble

Congregants of the Church of the Resurrection in Solon, Ohio have three members of Local 36 Ohio to thank for the beautiful new flooring, altar, and basptismal font installed in August 2004. In just six weeks, members employed by Suburban Marble, installed a buff-colored 12,000 square-foot porcelain floor and raised altar.

Special credit is given to journeyman tilesetter Paul Metro for his work on the Church’s baptismal font. The octagon shaped structure, designed by Irish artist Helen McLean, is a rare creation of intricate detail and artistry. The interior and exterior surfaces are covered in mosaic tiles ½” or smaller. Each side has a different design decorated in white, light blue, and gold tiles. The interior is a darker shade of blue and complimentary colors, running a depth of three feet. The center design contains a golden cross surrounded by a wheel of swirling sunbursts eminating from the outer edges of the circle and spanning the structure’s eight-foot length.

The entire project totaled $200,000, but no price tag can be placed on the incomparable craftsmanship of the members of Local 36.

Best Residential Tile Project
Local 18 Calilfornia
Black Mountain Ranch
Ojai, California

Signatory Contractor: Tile Trends

Nestled in the exclusive Ojai Valley just east of Santa Barbara, stands a recent example of one of Local 18 California’s stunning achievements in tile installation – a 17,000 square-foot, $6 million private residence and guest house. From January through July 2004, Local 18 members, employed by Tile Trends, installed 700 square feet of tile and 1,200 square feet of stone. Full installation included tub surrounds, stand alone bathtubs, full-size showers with seats and nitches, kitchen countertops with floated backsplashes, numerous mud-set flooring, and a tile mural. Each room was clad with its own unique tile or marble design.

In preparation, the residence walls were lathed and scratched, and a mud-set installation process was used to set the marble and tile. Tilesetters had to float the walls to meet the specific dimensions and criteria of the project. In some cases, the tile and marble were of varying thicknesses, creating additional challenges for the installer.

From start to finish, the meticulous work of Local 18 craftworkers transformed this home’s spacious interior into a masterpiece.

Best Plaster Project
Local 9 Michigan
Wells-Babcock Home
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Signatory Contractor: Hoffmann Plastering

After being ravaged by fire and enduring years of water damage, the Wells-Babcock residence in Ann Arbor, Michigan was desperately in need of restoration. The poor state of the 6,000 square-foot, 156-year old private residence presented a number of challenges for the members of Local 9 Michigan. The complexity of the project’s many ornamental designs required members to research and develop non-traditional techniques to complete the project.

Reproduction of the residence’s original plaster, for example, was anything but standard, and required much trial and error before success was finally achieved. Every procedure was tried from the application of traditional three coat plaster to intricate three-dimensional ornamental repairs involving complex multiple rubber and epoxy mixtures not typically integrated together for standard mold making.

Ten Local 9 members, working for Hoffman Plastering, spent 15 months restoring the project – and it was well worth it. Thanks to their ingenuity, and diligence, the Wells-Babcock Home will be enjoyed for many more years.

Best Restoration/Rehabilitation/
Maintenance Project
Local 1 Minnesota/North Dakota
Nativity of Our Lord Church
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Signatory Contractor: American Masonry Restoration

Restoration of the Nativity of Our Lord Church, built in 1938, had been put off for many years due to financial constraints. When American Masonry Restoration was called in, the church was in serious need of repair. After removing numerous layers of plaster and paint on the gothic windows’ frames and tracery, serious deterioration was exposed. Eight members of Local 1 Minnesota/North Dakota, with help from two members of Local 19 Wisconsin and one member from Local 8 Wisconsin certified in the JAHN stone patching system, completely overhauled the structure, fully restoring its interior, and repairing, repointing, and replacing brick on the exterior. Members accrued about 5,000 work-hours on the project, which required 125 JAHN units to repair interior limestone. The total cost of the project was roughly $500,000.

Since no alternate space was available for church functions, the restoration took place around scheduled services and events with frequent interruptions for weddings and funerals. As a result of the hard work and dedication of these BAC craftworkers, the Nativity of Our Lord Church was ready for rededication – less than a year from when work began.

Best Refractory Project
Local 11, West Virginia Administrative District Council
#8 Coke Battery Repairs
Follansbee, West Virginia

Signatory Contractor: Fosbel, Inc.

Since it was built in the late 1970s by 95 Local 11 West Virginia members, the #8 Coke Battery in Follansbee, West Virginia has been skillfully maintained by BAC members, generating thousands of work-hours for members of the West Virginia Administrative District Council.

This latest round of repairs, along with the replacement of 81 coke battery ovens at the facility, began in spring 2001. Between January and December 2004 alone, BAC West Virginia members working for Fosbel accumulated roughly 300,000 work-hours. Over the years, members have received numerous commendations from representatives of the facility’s owners, Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, for their outstanding work at #8 Coke Battery.

Jeff Garland Photography

Best Historic Reconstruction Project
Local 1 Michigan
Greenfield Village
Dearborn, Michigan

Signatory Contractor: Grunwell Cashero Company

The project involved the restoration of nine historic buildings, the creation of a fieldstone water weir and dam, a brick and stone fountain, carved brick murals with stone borders, an arched fondulac bridge, large brick arched entryways, and limestone planters and columns.

As a result of the high level of craftsmanship, along with the variety of materials used, the architectural value, and the historic significance of this project, Greenfield Village has not only been rebuilt and restored, it has been reborn.