Masonry Magazine August 1987 Page. 15
Estimates indicate that more than 85,000 people toured the All-Masonry Home at the Upper Midwest Home & Garden Show held in Minneapolis. In the process they picked up more than 175,000 pieces of literature on masonry construction.
MINNESOTA ALL-MASONRY HOME
Homebuyers and homebuilders alike were treated to an unusual spectacle during the recent 1987 Upper Midwest Home & Garden Show in Minneapolis. In just three and one-half days preceding the annual event which draws more than 100,000 "house hungry" visitors to its exhibits every spring-members of the Minnesota Masonry Institute (MMI) erected from scratch-a full-size, two-story all-masonry home, including attached garage, on the floor of the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Working 16-hour days, the trade organization's members and other industry volunteers erected a nearly-complete demonstration house inside the huge center, then decorated and landscaped it to make it the star attraction of the five-day show, one of the largest of its kind in the country.
"The ongoing goal of our overall marketing is to demonstrate in as graphic a way as we can just how energy efficient, soundproof and maintenance-free an all masonry home can be," said Thomas Eggen, Executive Director of the Masonry Institute.
"To do that effectively, we became convinced that we had to build a 'high-touch' exhibit that many people could walk through, touch, kick, even slam doors and open and shut windows. That meant in our view-tha. we had to build a real house, in the center of the largest stream of interested homeowners and prospective homebuyers we could find, and build it in such a way that homeowners could see for themselves what makes an all-masonry home tick."
The goal of the exhibit was to allow visitors to walk through an all-masonry home and see first-hand exactly how its construction differs from conventional stick-built wood construction.
To do that, nearly one-half of the house including the bedroom, kitchen, and den areas were completely decorated and finished, including inlaid parquet flooring, while the remainder was left in various stages of completion to show its inner workings.
The project was truly a cooperative venture on a grand scale. The "general contractor" was a local masonry contractor. Bricklayers were provided by Locals 1 and 2 of the International Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union and the Minnesota Concrete and Masonry Contractors Association. Concrete block, brick and block veneer, re-bar and wall ties, mortar materials, pavers and retaining wall units were supplied by members of the Minnesota Concrete Products Association, and the Brick Distributors of Minnesota. Many of the non-masonry portions of the building were also contributed, including roofing and concrete roof tile, windows, precast plank, insulation, carpentry, staircase, fixtures, and all electrical work. Also donated were the HVAC equipment and labor, kitchen, bath and bedroom cabinets; appliances; and retaining walls and pavers.
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