Lang Masonry Contractors Inc.
Recognitions Earned
Age of Steam Roundhouse
Age of Steam Roundhouse
Sugarcreek, Ohio
Featured in: Masonry Construction - 2011 Project of the Year entry
2011 Masonry Construction Project of the Year Awards Entry
The Age of Steam Roundhouse project, located in Sugarcreek, Ohio, presented a unique opportunity for Lang Masonry Contractors to showcase its skill working with brick.The 1.3 million dollar masonry project, privately funded and the result of one man's passion for steam locomotives, is the first full-size, working roundhouse built in the U.S. since 1951. The structures were all erected in the same architectural appearance as railroad buildings of the 1920-era, but with some modern-day modifications for safety, comfort and economy of construction and operation. The Roundhouse and Maintenance Shop will both be used to maintain the current and future rosters of steamers, as well as to teach future generations of steam locomotive repairmen these fast-disappearing job skills. The masonry scope consisted of 269,825 jumbo bricks, 10,717 rowlock/soldier bricks, 15,377 projected headers, 25,761 block and 286 clay coping tiles. A particular challenge was the precast lintels used over the window openings in the Roundhouse. Lang set 64000lbs of precast sills and water tables as well as 29 lintels weighing 7200lbs each. Lang worked with the structural engineer to re-design the piers to support the massive weight of the precast lintels and the Amish timber beams used for the roof framing. Instead of the typical detail of laying CMU with vertical rebar and grouting, rebar cages were constructed and then poured solid and installed using no CMU's, resulting in both time and cost savings to the owner. The design of the Roundhouse allowed Lang Masonry to lay brick both inside and outside the building at the same time, making for a dramatic impact on the site. Instead of using concrete blocks as the basis for the Roundhouse's walls and then facing the blocks with a veneer of red bricks, the walls were formed by separated red bricks that were filled with grout. Clay coping tiles were from an original mold that hadn't been ordered in fifty years. Specially cast and fired bull nose red bricks were manufactured for use along the edges of doorway and window openings. Arched window openings, eight courses of corbelled bricks and heavy pilasters at each side section add to the beauty of the building. The Flemish bond, used at every seventh course, was achieved by using specially fired brick with a score in the center and filled with mortar to appear as being two separate half bricks. The corbelling of bricks not only changes the wall thickness, but also adds some decorative flair to the walls, really showcasing the beauty of masonry.
The Age of Steam Roundhouse project brought together skilled craftsman and artisan with an attention to detail seldom seen in modern day construction. Lang Masonry Contractors is currently working on the Freight Depot and is looking forward to Phase 2 of construction, which will include an additional 8 stalls to the Roundhouse and a museum for the enlightenment and entertainment of future generations of Americans.
Project Participants:
Owner: Age of Steam Roundhouse
Architect/Desinger: Ted Goodman, FA Goodman Architects
Structural Engineer: Jezerinac Geers & Associates
General Contractor: Robert Brode, WM Brode Company
Masonry Contractor: Melvin Schwendeman, Lang Masonry Contractors Inc.
Masonry Supplier: Brian Emler, Stocker Concrete
Masonry Supplier: Tom Van Fossen, Belden Brick
Masonry Supplier: Brewster Martin, Concrete Fabricators
Basic Systems, Inc.
Basic Systems Inc.
Cadiz, Ohio
Featured in: Ohio Masonry Association - 2011 OMA Excellence in Masonry Newsletter
Ohio Masonry Association 2011 Commercial Merit Design Award
The jury felt that this freestanding office building elevated itself above the norm for this building typology, which is often informed by budget constraints.
Obviously, the jury discussed the historic precedent of the Prairie Style, made famous by Frank Lloyd Wright. The horizontal massing, hip roof form with large eaves, and siting on the landscape draw heavily upon this style.
However, it is the designer’s use of masonry … both in its colors and textures that distinguishes this building. This can be seen in the manner in which it is used to articulate the columned entry form and in the columns of the entry canopy.
It can also be seen in the way the designer chose to articulate both the head and sill at the window openings as well as the placement of the abstracted medallion in between each window, and speaks to a certain sense of permanence and investment on the part of the owner/clients. Taking all these factors into account, the jury felt strongly this building deserved a MERIT AWARD.
Project Participants:
Owner: Cadiz Commercial Holdings
Architectural Firm: Davis Architectural Group
Mason Contractor: Lang Masonry Contractors, Inc.
CMU Producer: Oberfield’s Inc.
Thompson Library
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Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Featured in: Masonry Construction - November/December 2010 Magazine
Masonry Construction 2010 Project of the Year - Best Repair/Rehab
For Lang Masonry Contractors, renovating the Thompson Library included removing, cleaning, and reinstalling large limestone and granite pieces, installing a grand marble staircase, and working at heights up to 130 ft. to remove, relocate, and re-set the building's signature arches.
The team of 25 masons renovated the 217,000 square-foot library and built a 90,750 square-foot addition. They used EZ Grout's Wimag stone clamps and lifting devices to handle the large stone pieces, most weighing between 1300 and 3000 lbs.
The Masons used cranes and Hydro Mobile scaffolding for many tasks, including removing, relocating, raising, and resetting the stone arches at the top of the building. They removed and stored the 3000 lb. limestone pieces of the arch before resetting them 8 feet higher to allow for larger windows.
Project Participants:
Architect/Designer: George Acock Associates, Columbus
Structural Engineer: Shelly Metz Bauman Hawk, Columbus
General Contractor: Turner/Smoot, Worthington, Ohio
Masonry Contractor: Lang Masonry Contractors, Inc., Waterford, Ohio
Masonry Suppliers: Oberfield's, Delaware, Ohio; Evans Limestone, Bedford, Indiana; Lang Stone, Columbus
Landscape Architect: Michael VanValkenburgh Associates, Brooklyn New York
Huntington Ball Park
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Huntington Ball Park
Columbus, Ohio
Featured on: Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. - 2009 EIC Awards
Associated Builder's and Contractors, Inc 2009 Eagle Award
The Huntington Ball Park’s Left Field Building not only had an aggressive project completion deadline for the opening day of baseball season, but the layout and proximity of the site to the high traffic area caused additional concerns. The three-story building had crews working on scaffolding with traffic in the next lane, so safety was a priority. Since Lang’s construction area was the only entrance for the entire project to receive goods and traffic, additional pre-planning with all contractors was essential. There was not enough ground surface area to maneuver forklifts or erect scaffolding so Lang created a piece of machinery specifically to set the stone pieces weighing over 400 lbs. each. To insure the safety of the masonry walls as they cured, Lang created set wall bracing in a horizontal configuration instead of the traditional vertical means.
Project Participants:
Design Firm:ThreeSixty Architecture
Owner: Franklin County Board of Commissioners
Masonry Contractor: Lang Masonry Contractors, Inc.
Fitness/Recreation Complex
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University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Featured In: Masonry Construction - July/August 2006 Magazine
Masonry Construction 2006 - Best Institutional / College
The 125,470-square foot Fitness & Recreation Complex required numerous masonry materials, including 110,000 utility brick, 130,000 gray block, 5,000 custom color glazed block, 26,000 colored ground face block, and 462,000 pounds of cast stone. The building's showcase is the entryway, with a radius of 80-ft comprised of 14 cast stone/brick piers 64-in. wide and 22-ft tall. The concourse level includes four different colors of ground face block and glazed block at the finished floor.
All exterior walls are cast stone, split face, and utility brick. A clock made entirely of masonry give the project a creative look.
Lang Masonry built their own stone clamps to lift the pieces into place. Hydro Mobile scaffolding was used to set the cast stone and for all the exterior work. An innovative vacuum system saw handled dry cutting of the block.
Project Participants:
General Contractor: Messer Construction Co.
Masonry Contractor: Lang Masonry Contractors Inc. Waterford, Ohio
Architect: Hastings & Chivetta Architects, St. Louis, Mo.
Masonry Suppliers: Reading Rock, Cincinnati, Ohio
Snyder Concrete Products, Dayton, Ohio
Caldwell Hall
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Muskingum College
New Concord, Ohio
Featured In: Masonry Construction - July/August 2005 Magazine
Masonry Construction 2005 - Best Institutional / College
This project required the mixing of various masonry materials to match the historic decor of a nearly 170-year old campus. The job used 55,000 block, 135,000 modular brick, 8,100 burnished block, 231,000 pounds of cast stone, and 4,300 pieces of Rock Cast.
The building's showcase is the theatre, which features two stories of autumn oak leaf burnished stone accented with burnished sandstone laid around the catwalk and seating area. The Precast archway that serves as the entry point has a depth of 5 feet and consists of two main arches, caps, and bands.
All exterior walls of the 32,000-square-foot building are brick veneer with CMU backup. Corbelling brick soldiers around a top band of the end towers - both recessed and projected - give the overall project a more creative look.
Project Participants:
Masonry Contractor: Lang Masonry Contractors Inc. Waterford, Ohio
Architect: Bialosky Partners LLC, Cleveland
Masonry Suppliers: R.L. Brown, Erie, Pa.; Pompli Precast Concrete, Garfield Heights, Ohio; Reading Rock, Cincinnati, Ohio; Ohio Concrete/OK Coal, Zanesville, Ohio; and Hohmann & Barnard, Hauppauge, N.Y.
Sheridan High School
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Thornville, Ohio
Ohio Concrete Masonry Association - 2005 Merit Award for Educational Design
Project Participants:
Masonry Contractor: Lang Masonry Contractors Inc. Waterford, Ohio
Architect: McDonald, Cassell & Bassett
Block Plant: Ohio Concrete Products
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
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Columbus, Ohio
Turner Construction Company - Columbus Territory - 1999 Outstanding Subcontractor Award
Award Presented by:
Turner Construction Company, Columbus Territory
Presented To:
Lang Masonry Contractors Inc. Waterford, Ohio
For Their Excellent Performance In Safety, Quality And Professional Management.
Richard T. Lombardi - Vice President and General Manager
Joel Sloan - Operations Manager