Masonry Magazine September 2006 Page. 17
ther on the residential and light commercial/industrial side. After a short stay, my uncle went his own way on industrial and commercial work. Through [my father's] career, he had built numerous schools, commercial and other buildings, and that's what we tend to do now. Our industrial work is just a small part of it.
Masonry: Your company completes institutional, industrial and commercial projects, ranging in size from office structures to 300,000-sq. ft. shopping plazas. To what do you attribute this diverse portfolio?
Stevens: By adapting and being aggressive. We bid, chase and follow through on job leads and job bid invitations. We seldom say no to anyone who has called for work opportunities, even to a fault.
Masonry: You won Honorable Mention for the New Castle High Jr./Sr. School project. Tell us a little more about this project and what made it particularly special.
Stevens: We are very proud to have been named Honorable Mention for the New Castle High School project from the Mason Contractors of Western Pennsylvania 2005. This project is a complete new school, and encompasses approximately 250,000 square feet new, and 50,000 square feet of a renovated field house and locker complex. The project is the single largest project in New Castle, Pa., in 80 years. It is a state-of-the-art structure that houses 1,200 to 1,500 students, ranging from grades seven through 12. The auditorium seats 3,000, and the field house scats 5,000. It is a dynamic, stately brick/cast stone/ground-face CMU structure. It is a combination of steel and masonry loadbearing.
Our whole family are graduates of the original New Castle High School. Seldom do you get the opportunity to construct a brand new school, in your own community, especially your alma mater.
Masonry: What advice would you offer a budding mason contractor?
Stevens: Keep your nose to the grindstone. Persevere. Be honest. Work hard. Treat everyone fairly, including yourself. Too many times, we as good people, let ourselves be taken advantage of by unscrupulous contractors, developers and owners... and sometimes even associates. [Budding mason contractors] should work for companies that share their ideals and move away from those that don't. Keep good, knowledgeable, productive people around you and get rid of the dead weight.
Masonry: What has been your most challenging project to date, and how did you overcome the obstacles it presented?
Stevens: The most challenging job thus far has been the New Castle Jr./Sr. High School. We overcame the obstacles by meeting or exceeding all scheduling dates, properly manning the project, being a team player and communicating with the general contractor and contract manager, and on occasion, the owner. We produced quality masonry work in an economic, timely manner for the benefit of all involved: the owner, the students and the taxpayers.
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