Western Specialty Contractors

Western Specialty Contractors, KBS to Complete Extensive Curtain Wall Restoration at Award-Winning, 42-Story Mixed-Use Tower in Chicago

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Four-year project promotes sustainability/cost control while providing an impressive tenant amenity

Western Specialty Contractors – Chicago Facades Branch and KBS, one of the largest owners and operators of premier commercial real estate buildings in the nation, are completing the restoration of a curtain wall at Accenture Tower, an award-winning, 1.46-million-square-foot, 42-story Class A office and retail property at 500 West Madison Street in Chicago, Illinois.

The tower, completed in 1987 and formerly known as 500 West Madison, has twice earned The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) Award Internationally by The Building Owner and Managers Association. The building, which features numerous top-tier amenities, contains 40 stories of office space and 80,000 square feet of retail space over two levels. Sitting above the Ogilvie Transportation Center, the sixth-busiest railway commuter station/terminal in North America, Accenture Tower has earned a UL Verified Healthy Building verification and is LEED Gold and WiredScore Gold certified.

KBS contracted Western Specialty Contractors – Chicago Facades Branch in 2021 to completely restore the existing curtain wall at the property. The project, which is expected to continue through 2025, includes the removal and replacement of the original 35-year-old sealants on the entire 588-foot-tall building’s curtain wall and bridge over Canal Street.

“This restoration demonstrates KBS’ ongoing dedication to delivering the highest-quality amenities at its office properties and highlights its partnerships with service providers like Western Specialty Contractors,” says Luke Hamagiwa, Asset Manager for Accenture Tower and Vice President at KBS. “The curtain wall system will help prevent leaks which is extremely important given the area’s inclement weather.”

According to Debbie Kalck, Branch Manager for Western’s Chicago Facades Branch, a curtain wall system on a building’s façade plays an important role in protecting the building and its occupants by keeping the weather out while allowing extra natural light deeper into a building’s interior space. Additionally, curtain wall systems play a critical role in the overall building’s design and performance and must take into account various forms of outside air, water infiltration, wind loading and seismic forces.

Kalck adds that the restoration’s long completion schedule is due to Accenture Tower being equipped with two maintenance house rigs—working platforms attached to the curtain wall’s structural tube members and internal track system that are similar to swing stages and operated remotely—which allow Western’s crews to access approximately 80% of the exterior. The house rigs limit the number of crews able to work on the building at one time and do not provide access to the base of the building or the Canal Street bridge.

Areas of Accenture Tower’s that are not accessible with the house rig or aerial man lift include the 42nd-floor rollback at the center of the south elevation and the lower rollbacks on floors 4-6 and 6-9 of the north elevation. Western determined that the most cost-effective way to perform the work at these locations would be via an extensive rope access/controlled descent.

Western employees performing this work have received Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) training from certified SPRAT evaluators Elevated Safety and are certified as SPRAT Level 1: Rope Access Workers. This training ensures safe work-at-height practices and progresses into the specifics of working on a two-rope system, ascending, descending, transfers, controlled descent devices, and rescue. In addition, workers were trained on anchoring basics, awareness and job hazard analysis. Work at times is performed on a Bosun chair if workers are not able to position themselves elsewhere to perform the work.

“I am so proud of our crews who continue to take on the most challenging projects and are committed to providing our clients with the most cost-effective solutions to safely perform those projects,” says Kalck.

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including: industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.        

About KBS

KBS is one of the largest investors of premier commercial real estate in the nation. As a private equity real estate company and an SEC-registered investment adviser, KBS and its affiliated companies have completed transactional activity of more than $44.5 billion on behalf of private and institutional investors globally. Founded in 1992 by Peter Bren and Chuck Schreiber, KBS acquires and operates premier commercial real estate in some of the most successful epicenters in the country. The firm is committed in its business ethics, its business relationships, and its constant focus on exceeding the expectations of its investors, partners, and tenants. SEC registration as an investment advisor does not imply any particular level of skill or training. For more information on KBS, please visit www.kbs.com.

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Western Specialty Contractors Recommends Creating a Building Component Inventory Prior to Inspections

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If you are a building owner or facility manager preparing to launch a new or revamped maintenance program, the first step, according to the experts at Western Specialty Contractors, is to create a building component inventory, even before you do an inspection.

“While it sometimes feels like this step is unnecessary, it makes sense to do it because you’ll end up spending a lot more money and time if you don’t,” said Teddy Williams, Content Marketing Manager at Western Specialty Contractors. “A proper building component inventory will set your maintenance program on the firm foundation it needs to drive the results you’re looking to achieve.”

No matter your experience or technical expertise, creating a building component inventory is not complicated. Essentially, an inventory is a list of all the building components included in your preventative maintenance program, along with general information about each component. It can be as simple as a spreadsheet, or more complex, depending on what works best for you and your properties.

There are several factors to contemplate when compiling a building component inventory, but here are essentially three main ones to consider:

Listing the Building Components

Which components should you include in your building component inventory? Preventative maintenance costs money and time, so including everything may not be wise for your overall budget.

As a general rule of thumb, for each component, ask yourself: Is the component critical to the safe operation of the building? Is it expensive to replace or difficult to purchase off the shelf?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any one of those three questions, then that component should be included in your maintenance program and building component inventory.

Determining the Condition of Building Components

What is the current condition of the building component? Is that condition different from previous inspections or the same?

It’s usually a good idea to create what’s called a condition rating scale, which can be as simple as good, fair or poor, or it can be more complex like a 1-10 numerical scale.

The important factor to consider is that the scale allows you to understand the condition of the property’s main components when you look at your inventory.

Figuring Out the Age of Each Component

An inventory with just a list of components and their conditions is powerful, but figuring out the age of each component will supercharge your results and save you a substantial amount of time. Here are a few questions to ask:

  • How long is the component supposed to last?
  • How old is the component?
  • How much longer is the component expected to last?

By answering these questions, particularly the last one, you will be able to time repairs better, make budgets more accurate and avoid unnecessary costs.

Once you have a sound building component inventory in place, you can now begin your facility inspections guided by a clear vision.

For assistance in creating a building component inventory, contact the Western Specialty Contractors branch location nearest you – http://www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/western-locations/.

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.          

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Western Specialty Contractors Provides “3 Keys to Doing Successful Property Inspections”

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If you are a building owner or manager and want to reduce facility maintenance costs, there are a lot of advantages to performing routine property inspections. To begin with, property inspections provide valuable information that makes the stressful maintenance decision-making process much easier and straightforward. Proper building inspections involve more than just walking around a property looking for potential issues. There are plenty of property inspections that don’t do much to help the facility manager or owner. However, there are a few, simple keys to doing successful property inspections that everyone should know:

1. Start with Standardized Methods

Successful inspection programs are built on a foundation of excellent standardized methods that can help improve consistency from inspection to inspection over time. That way, results from a current inspection can be reliably compared to results from past ones. Recommendations include:

– Taking several pictures of each component’s condition – don’t try to rely on notes from inspectors exclusively.

– Using a condition rating scale – keep ratings as simple as possible.

Sometimes facility managers are tempted to start doing inspections first, then work on figuring out how to record the data later. That method is a recipe for expensive mistakes and a less-than-successful inspection.

2. Instructions Matter

Successful inspections are leveraged by well-written guidelines. Starting with standardized methods will get building owners and managers a good way down the path toward a successful inspection, but the maintenance team will need further assistance, so providing them with written instructions to review can be beneficial. Even if an inspection is set up correctly, it only makes it harder to get the traction needed on an inspection if the staff isn’t quire sure what to do. Dumbing down the instructions and taking the guesswork out of the equation will go a long way toward ensuring a successful inspection.

3. Create Checklists (or know where to get them)

Successful inspections have rock-solid processes. For those who are new to exterior maintenance, creating checklists can be a fun and exciting way to improve their skills. But to do a great inspection, learning how to make excellent inspection checklists is recommended, or ask a contractor for assistance.

Building owners and managers can supply the vision and property knowledge, but the contractor brings their years of experience and expertise. For more information about performing successful property inspections, contact the Western Specialty Contractors branch location nearest you – http://www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/western-locations/.

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.                    

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Western Specialty Contractors Offers Free Comprehensive eBook on Property Inspections and Maintenance

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Properly maintaining a building, facility or structure is one of the most challenging, yet important tasks of a facility manager or property owner. Knowing which building components are the most vital, when those components should be inspected and how they should be maintained over time can be overwhelming to the inexperienced, and even the most experienced facility manager. Concrete and masonry restoration experts Western Specialty Contractors has made the complex maintenance process simple with its new eBook, “Property Inspections – The Critical First Step.”

Downloadable for FREE at http://www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Property-Inspections_The-Critical-First-Step.pdf, Western’s Property Inspections eBook outlines the keys to successful property inspections and maintenance, which begins with the building component inventory.

“If you are preparing to launch a new maintenance program, or just revamp an existing one, the first step is to create a building component inventory, even before doing any inspections,” said Teddy Williams, Content Marketing Manager at Western Specialty Contractors. “While this may feel like an unnecessary step, it is actually the most important. You don’t want to waste a lot of time and money inspecting and repairing building components that don’t necessarily need it. A proper component inventory will help protect against unwanted expenditures.”

The Property Inspections eBook outlines the steps to creating a building component inventory, from determining whether a component should be included on the list, rating its current condition and determining its age and life expectancy.

“This process allows property managers and owners to be able to time repairs better, make budgets more accurate and avoid unnecessary costs,” said Williams.

The next step in building maintenance outlined in the eBook is scheduling and conducting inspections — a process that can be expensive and time-consuming but doesn’t have to be. Planning is the key to simplifying the process, said Williams.

“The inspection plan is today’s property maintenance darling. Regular maintenance helps you sustain a healthy and attractive property, plus makes maintenance projects more predictable while increasing tenant satisfaction, retention and attraction,” said Williams.

The Property Inspections eBook takes readers through a step-by-step process for creating a successful inspection plan, plus provides several tips on how to take the stress out of property inspections and maintenance decision-making.

Other valuable information provided in the eBook includes:

  • How to rate a component’s condition
  • Knowing when it’s time to fix a component
  • How to prioritize and budget for repairs
  • Making inspection data objective and easier to digest
  • When and how often to do exterior property inspections

In addition to the eBook, Western Specialty Contractors also offers continuing education on exterior property maintenance. For more information, visit https://pages.convertkit.com/55dd6853cf/2fa4ea6cea.

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.  

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Western Specialty Contractors Offers Tips on Protecting Parking Structures from Damage During Winter

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Chemical deicers and snow plows are commonly used in winter to eliminate hazardous ice and snow from parking decks and structures. While deicers are doing their job melting away snow and ice, some may actually be corroding the parking structure’s concrete and reinforcing steel, and some snow removal techniques may actually be doing more damage than good.

Western Specialty Contractors, experts in parking garage restoration and maintenance, offers several tips to minimize unnecessary damage to parking structures during the winter months, and keep drivers safe.

Snow Removal Tips

  • Clearly mark expansion joints in a way that will be visible to the equipment operator when the deck is covered with snow.
  • Establish a snow removal pattern so that the plow blade approaches expansion joints, control joints and tee to tee joints at an angle no greater than 75 degrees.
  • Equip snow plow blades and bucket loaders with shoes or rubber guards that prevent direct contact with the deck surface.
  • Do not pile snow on the deck surface. Piles of snow can exceed the rated load capacity and cause cracking in the concrete deck surface.

Deicing/Salting Tips

Using chemical deicers to control ice and snow buildup is common. However, these chemicals can have a negative effect on concrete and reinforcing steel and should be used sparingly. There are several different types of deicers on the market that can be used, however, only those approved by the American Concrete Institute are recommended.

  • Sodium Chloride – (road salt, table salt) This is the most common used salt deicer. It has little effect on concrete, but promotes corrosion in reinforcing steel and other metals. Use of this type of deicer is NOT recommended.
  • Calcium Chloride – This is a major ingredient in most commercial deicers. It has little effect on concrete, but promotes corrosion in reinforcing steel and other metals. Use of this type of deicer is NOT recommended.
  • Ammonium Nitrate or Ammonium Sulfate – Use of this deicer will lead to serious concrete deterioration due to its direct chemical attack on reinforcing steel. Use of this type of deicer is NOT recommended.
  • Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) – The effects of this deicer are similar to salt, but it requires more time to melt ice. It has no adverse effects on concrete or steel reinforcement. If a deicer is required, a CMA is recommended.

It is important to minimize the amount of deicing chemical applied during the first two years of the concrete being installed. During this time, the concrete has an increased permeability which can allow the deicing chemicals to migrate into the concrete more rapidly. As concrete ages and cures, it will become less permeable and chemicals will not penetrate as easily.

It is important to remember that the use of deicing chemicals in general are not recommended. The safest way to remove ice and snow is to use a plow. Sand can also be used to increase tire traction on the deck, but be sure to protect the drainage system when washing down the deck after its use.

 Family-owned and operated for over 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.

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Western Specialty Contractors Receives St. Louis Business Journal Family Business Award

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103-year-old company employs fourth-generation family members

Western Specialty Contractors is honored to announce that it has been selected for the St. Louis Business Journal’s Family Business Awards. The program recognizes family-owned companies that have successfully transitioned between generations and made an impact on the St. Louis community. The winners were honored at an awards event on Oct. 11.

Founded in 1915, St. Louis-based Western Specialty Contractors is currently led by CEO Benjamin Bishop, Jr., a third generation founding family member. A total of five family members, many fourth-generation, currently work at Western.

“We are so honored to receive an award that recognizes the value of family-owned businesses,” said Western CEO Ben “Butch” Bishop, Jr. “Family values have become almost cliché in recent years, but that’s really what built Western Specialty Contractors. Of course, Western is dedicated to quality work and craftsmanship, but Western believes that you cannot achieve quality consistently unless you have people who can work as a team, with trust and respect for each other. Those values are truly the legacy of Western’s founders Ben Many and George Bishop, Sr.”

Western’s history began in 1915 when the Ironite Company of Chicago invented a cost-saving product to waterproof concrete foundations from the inside called “Ironite” and needed contractors to successfully apply the product. St. Louis native Ben Many jumped on the opportunity and hired his brother-in-law George Bishop, Sr., also a St. Louis native, to be his partner after Bishop returned home from serving in World War I, and the Western Waterproofing Company of Missouri was born.

Following The Great Depression in 1929, Bishop worked to rebuild the struggling company after his partner moved to Chicago to pursue other opportunities. Through the decades, the Bishop family continued to grow the business and expand across the country, passing it down through the generations to eventually include branch locations in Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. Western also expanded its services beyond just waterproofing to include masonry and concrete restoration, specialty roofing, disaster recovery and façade restoration, and changed its name to Western Specialty Contractors in 2015.

Today, Western is the largest concrete and masonry specialty contractor in the U.S., with over 30 branch offices and member companies nationwide, employing more than 1,250 people and executing more than 3,000 contracts each year.

Western has been quietly restoring some of America’s most beloved buildings and structures for generations and takes great pride in its hands-on ability to get the job done right, while creating lasting quality. Western has completed more than 300,000 projects over the course of its 103-year history, which include: Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, IL; Citadel Military College of South Carolina; Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA; Disney World’s Epcot Center in Orlando, FL; Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.; Martin Luther King Federal Building in Atlanta, GA; Chrysler Building in New York, NY; Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, IL; Superdome in New Orleans, LA; Busch Stadium and Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, MO; Packard Automotive Plant in Detroit, MI; Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco, CA and Shrine of Saint Joseph in St. Louis, MO, to name just a few.

Western has faced it share of ups and downs over the course of its 103-years in business, which have included The Great Depression, two World Wars and multiple recessions, but throughout history, Western has proven that strong leadership, a willingness to adapt to changing times and hard-working, committed employees are the keys to succeeding through challenges.

“Learning to have patience was one of the most difficult skills to master. Learning from the ground up doesn’t come overnight and having been in business for 103 years you go through a lot of ups and downs,” said Bishop, Jr. “The principles and values put in place by the best generations have really made keeping the family culture the cornerstone of Western’s success. Your company is only as good as the people who work for you, and we have several fourth-generation family members presently employed by Western. Times change, processes change and people change. Change will always be the challenge all companies have to conquer in order to survive the generations.”

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for over 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including: industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with over 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.

 

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Western Specialty Contractors Uses Special Skills on Treasured Monuments and Memorials

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Monuments can be powerful, inspiring tributes to a person, place, tragedy or event. But when those treasured monuments start to show signs of wear-and-tear and weather damage and need to be restored to their original glory, or new monuments need the expertise of a specialty contractor to construct, customers call Western Specialty Contractors.

Over the course of its 100+ year history, Western Specialty Contractors has had the privilege of working on some of the nation’s most recognized and revered monuments and memorials, such as the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.; The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO; Staten Island September 11th Memorial in New York City, NY; World War II Veterans Memorial Globe in Springfield, IL; and the Lincoln Receiving Vault in Springfield, IL.

Whether the memorial or monument is made of stone, concrete or metal, they are all subject to weathering and damage over time. Through proper, routine maintenance, treasured monuments and memorials can be returned to their former glory and protected from future damage for visitors to cherish and enjoy for years to come.

“Each memorial project is unique and requires a special set of restoration skills and care. Repairing spalling and cracking concrete, installing appropriate waterproofing and treating rusting metal consistently will go a long way toward boosting a monument’s longevity. One aspect that remains consistent is Western’s dedication to respecting and maintaining the historical integrity and significance of the memorial or monument that has been entrusted to our care,” said Ben “Butch” Bishop, Jr., CEO of Western Specialty Contractors. 

Staten Island September 11th Memorial in New York City, NY

In 2004, Western assisted in the design and installation of granite victim plaques for The Staten Island September 11th Memorial in New York City. The memorial, designed by architect Masayuki Sono and titled, “Postcards”, is constructed of two, 40-foot wing-like fiberglass walls, each with a 30-foot long window displaying the face profile and name of each victim.

Western was responsible for overseeing the selection and production of granite in Victoria, Brazil and Barrie, VT that would make up the 274 granite plaques. Each victim profile was designed by the architect and family members and downloaded to an electronic file that guided a waterjet machine over the granite to create each victim’s profile and name inscription. Western’s crew took great care in joining these special plaques to the memorial’s fiberglass walls. Over 3,000 family members and friends of the victims, city officials and a cast of devoted workers dedicated the memorial, which was awarded the New York Construction “Best of 2004 Annual Award.”

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO

Western Specialty Contractors completed a project in 2017 to restore and waterproof the roof of the Museum of Westward Expansion located underground beneath the iconic Gateway Arch on the St. Louis Riverfront.

After the concrete roof was exposed, Western crews identified and repaired any leaks, then installed a 2-ply Laurenco modified bitumen sheet waterproofing covered with WR Meadows PC2 protection board. An electronic leak detection system followed by a permanent leak detection grid system were installed over the protection board.

The next phase of the project involved waterproofing the 42,000 SF horizontal lid and 37,000 SF vertical walls of the museum addition. Additional waterproofing of the north and south museum entrances and each Arch leg was also completed. The museum was largely operational during construction and a lot of the time Western crews were working over occupied space. Western sequenced the removal of existing roofing material so that they could remove, clean and install new roofing material daily to keep the museum dry during construction.

World War II Veterans Memorial Globe in Springfield, IL

In 2015, Western Specialty Contractors was tasked with repairing and re-coating the World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial Globe in Springfield’s historic Oak Ridge Cemetery. The exterior of the concrete Globe was showing signs of wear, with cracking and spalling concrete evident near the top of the memorial where a previously applied protective coating was flaking off.

Western crews removed damaged areas and repaired them with a polymer-modified concrete repair mortar. The shapes of the continents and the Globe’s longitude and latitude lines were reformed and finished, under the watchful eye of the artist, to match the existing profile. Crews wet-abrasive blasted the Globe’s surface to remove any remaining coating and provide profiling for the new coating.

After the surface had dried, Western applied a Sherwin Williams Loxon Concrete Primer and two coats of ConFlex XL Elastomeric Coating in flat white to match the original color.

Restoration of President Abraham Lincoln Receiving Vault in Springfield, IL

In 2015, Western Specialty Contractors restored the historic receiving vault in Springfield, IL that once held the bodies of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln and his son, Willie. Constructed in the 1860s, the stone and marble vault had major deterioration due to decades of water penetration.

Western crews repaired the vault’s walls using a system of low cement ratio mortar and brick infill in areas where the brick had deteriorated away from the wall. After infilling the voids in the walls, Western applied a layer of low cement ratio mortar to the entire wall surface to create a smooth surface to accept the bentonite sheet waterproofing. Western used stone fabrication methods to repair two serpentine retaining walls that extended outward away from the vault entrance.

The restoration project was completed on May 1, 2015 in time for commemoration and funeral reenactment ceremonies marking the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s funeral.

Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool – Washington, D.C.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was constructed in 1923 following the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial. The pool is over a third of a mile long, 167 feet wide and 30 inches deep in the center. In 2004, Western waterproofed the pool, which had begun to leak, and cut-out and re-caulked joints with urethane grout and silicone sealants.

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including: industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with over 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.

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Western Specialty Contractors Recommends Contractors Adopt Quality Control Programs

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One of the most important aspects of construction is delivering a quality project. Owners hire contractors to perform a specific function, and they expect a superior product. Implementing a quality control program that evaluates the work process from initial steps all the way through to completion ensures customer satisfaction and long-term success, according to Eric Olson, Safety Director at Western Specialty Contractors.

“There are many benefits to implementing a quality control program. Many contractors may not see the value in it when looking at the upfront costs of a program, but ensuring a superior product delivers a number of benefits to the owners, consultants, facility managers and general contractors on a project,” said Olson. “In short, Western’s Quality Program was designed and developed with the explicit goal of adding measurable value to our customers.”

For over a century, St. Louis-based Western Specialty Contractors has made quality control a cornerstone of its organization and a part of its company culture — a sound quality control program that has attributed to Western’s long-term success and respect in the industry. Western celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2015 and ranks as one of the top 150 privately held companies in St. Louis based on revenue.

“It’s woven into the fabric of our daily work lives and integrated into every activity and process that we do,” said Olson. “Quality control is the foundation of a healthy, long-term relationship with our customers and an internal source of pride. Bottom line, quality is good for business.”

Olson suggests that when implementing a new quality control program, all employees should be fully trained on the value of the program and understand how to perform and document inspections correctly.

“If employees aren’t aware or don’t understand the value, they may just see the program as more paperwork and will not truly verify the quality of the performed work,” added Olson.

With a sustainable quality control system in place, the tangible benefits to construction companies are numerous:

  • Contractors complete work the right way, the first time, thus saving time and money on expensive re-work. Tearing out and re-installing defective material is almost always more expensive than the initial task.
  • Being forced to redo work increases employee risk. Doing a project the first time comes with injury risk, but that risk is tempered through earnings potential. All work should be completed as safely as possible. Performing the same work a second time for free increases employee exposures for little to no gain.
  • A well-documented quality control program can help with any future litigation. Documentation confirming the project was performed correctly goes a long way.
  • Finally, delivering a quality project ensures a happy customer. Happy customers are much more likely to hire the same contractors for future projects.

Western’s Quality Program is documented in its Quality Assurance and Quality Control Policy and Procedures manual. The multi-section manual details the specifics of Western’s program and illustrates:

  • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities
  • Well established document control
  • Detailed proposal preparation, project set-up and process controls
  • Strict guidelines on purchasing and material controls
  • Robust verification, inspection and testing protocols
  • Specific guidance in the identification of non-conforming actions and the necessary corrective procedures

Highlights of Western’s Quality Program also include:

  • Quality Control Inspection Sheets customized for each specific job
  • A Quality Control Supervisor (QCS) assigned to each project to ensure overall quality compliance
  • All materials inspected to insure conformance with project requirements before being released for use
  • A series of well-defined tests and inspections before, during and after construction to verify that all items conform to stated project requirements
  • A complete set of all documents required for the proper execution of work to be maintained on site

Western’s Quality program was derived and perfected from some of the best practices across a range of industries, including: Lean, ISO and Six Sigma.

Visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com/about/quality-control/ for more information about Western’s Quality Program.

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including: industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO with over 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.

 

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Western Specialty Contractors Restores Facade of Historic Downtown St. Louis Monogram Building

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Former 1900s women’s hatmaking factory and warehouse converted to luxury apartments

Western Specialty Contractors – St. Louis Masonry Restoration Branch recently completed a $1.2 million facade restoration of the historic Monogram Building at 1706 Washington Ave. in Downtown St. Louis.

Developer Michael Knight, a partner at Revive Capital Development of Kansas City, MO, converted the nine-story brick and terra cotta building, renamed Monogram on Washington, into 168 modern, luxury apartments (112 one-bedroom, 32 two-bedroom and 24 studio), complete with a roof-top pool. The building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, originally opened in 1910 as a millinery factory and warehouse in the city’s former garment district.

Western Specialty Contractors first contracted with St. Louis-based general contractor Paric Corporation in November 2016 to begin work on the building’s west elevation while abatement work was getting started. This first phase included installation of 28 new window openings with new lintels and precast sills, 30% brick tuck pointing, pressure washing the entire facade and caulking all window perimeters. Western crews also cut an opening in the south elevation for a buck hoist to be installed. This first phase was completed in September 2017.

A second contract was issued to Western for additional facade restoration work to the north, south and east elevations. Western used two suspended scaffolding and four masons to complete the work in October 2017. The work included:

  • South elevation – tuck pointing 30% of brick joints and 25% of terra cotta joints, caulking all window perimeters and pressure washing
  • North and east elevations – tuck pointing 25% of terra cotta joints and all brick joints, pressure washing, and replacing 10 pieces of missing or damaged terra cotta with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) replicas

Paric, under the direction of the owner, had Western provide a 135-foot aerial lift so that the jobsite foreman, with assistance from the engineer, could inspect all elevations. Subsequently, Western’s scope of work increased to include tuck pointing all brick and terra cotta joints on the south, north and east elevations; plus replacing an additional 15 pieces of terra cotta with FRP.

With the scope of work more than doubling for Western’s crews, the change proved to be a challenge to the overall schedule for the building’s new roof and pool installation. Western was able to meet the original schedule by adding two swing stages and six more masons working 10-hour shifts, seven days a week. The final facade restoration work was completed in February 2018.

Architect: BNIM

Structural Engineer: Bob D. Campbell and Co.

Historic Preservation: Rosin Preservation

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.

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