Spring 2015: Table of Contents

Words: Dan Kamys



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Spring 2015:

Table of Contents

features

Materials
Brick: An Old Way to a Better Tomorrow
Since early mankind moved out of caves and into communities, brick was a desired construction material. With readily available raw materials, a simple manufacturing process, and durable and sustainable results, brick’s continued prominence is easy to understand.
By Chris Hines

Project Spotlight
Workhorse Rally
The Village of La Grange has a long-standing tradition of preserving its past, including its beloved Stone Avenue Train Station, which recently underwent a vital restoration.
By Marc Rohde and Douglas Ogurek

Materials
Masonry Flashing
Flashings remain a critical component of any cavity wall system, diverting moisture outward as it collects in the cavity space to the exterior of the façade through the weep openings. A failure in this arrangement can ultimately lead to degradation of wall components.
By Jeremy S. Douglas CSI, CCPR

Restoration
A Timely Renaissance
For nearly a century, throngs of area residents of Waltham, Mass., made their way to work in the iconic 1854 factory of the Waltham Watch Company along the Charles River. Today, the factory is enjoying a second life, thriving once again through a mixed-use renaissance that provides innovative living and working spaces in its restored and renovated buildings.
By Henry Moss, AIA, LEED

Materials
Stone 101
What every member of a project team must know before, during, and after installation of natural stone.
By Mike Buechel

columns & departments

Letter from the Editor
Supplies

PPE That Workers Actually Wear: Building Buy-In Through Education and Smart Selection
August 2026

In masonry construction, personal protective equipment (PPE) is often the last line of defense between a worker and an injury. Yet despite its importance, PPE compliance remains one of the most common challenges on jobsites across the country. The realit

Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh

Why "The Software Can't Track That" Is Finally Going Away
August 2026

For as long as specialty contractors have used field software, most of them have kept a workaround somewhere: a spreadsheet on a foreman's laptop, a whiteboard in the trailer, or a text thread where crew leads send block counts at the end of the day becau

Monadnock Building
August 2026

Chicago’s Monadnock Building doesn’t dominate the skyline the way it once did. Surrounded by steel-and-glass towers, the dark brick structure can seem almost understated. But for anyone in the masonry industry, it remains one of the most important buildin