Projects Utilizing Whitacre Greer Dry-Pressed Clay Pavers Win Hardscape North America Awards

The Hardscape North America Project Awards recognized three projects utilizing Whitacre Greer dry-pressed clay pavers at a ceremony during the Hardscape North America Show in Louisville Saturday, October 30th. Hardscape North America is for installers, owners, foremen, supervisors and key laborers. HNA began in 2007 and has grown every year since. Its focus is to bring top notch educational including certification courses, products and technology to contractors and installers who build segmental pavements and segmental retaining walls. Indoor and outdoor exhibits displaying state of the art tools and products are featured offering the latest technology for contractors. Seminars offering certification, business skils and marketing tools provide valuable education and networking opportunities.

Winning the category of Clay Brick Paver Commercial 1,000 – 10,000 square feet was the Miami Conservancy District project in Dayton, OH. The project features distinctive pattern work in 4x8x2-1/4 Permeable clay pavers. Material for the project was supplied by Snyder Brick & Block.

Receiving an Honorable Mention in the category of Combination Commerical 1,000 – 10,000 square feet was The Barns in Peapack, NJ.

The Barns is an office complex containing four structures in the downtown of rural Peapack, NJ. A historic stone barn, the primary structure on the site, has been converted into office space. The interior courtyard is just over 1900 square feet; while this is a relatively small portion of the overal 67,700 square foot site, it had large potential to impact the office Large windows from both the conference room and the common areas abut the space.

The use of cobblestones, brick, hand hammered iron fencing and gate, the lead horse trough water feature and antique mill wheels all draw from the feelings generated from the old barn. The mill wheel and cobble banding add focus as you enter the space; the brick pavers provide ample space for seating and lend warmth to the space. The lead horse trough adds white noise softening sounds of the nearby street. The shade created by a tight grid of honey locust provides much needed relief from the harsh southern exposure, which will increase as the trees mature while offering a feeling of separation from Main Street. The trees success is assisted by the addition of structural soil beneath the paving, allowing root access to greater soil volume and a path to the soil below the lawn area. The decreased paving and the addition of lawn, boxwoods and perennials all soften the space, provide interest and reduce stormwater runoff.

The project was installed by Iannella Contracting and specified by B.W. Bosenburg & Co.

Receiving an honorable mention in the category of Clay Brick Paver Commerical 10,000 – 50,000 square feet was the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm Visitor Center Renovation.

The original F.A. Nature Realm visitor center was completed in November of 1991 being the only visitor center in the Metro Parks’ system. It is home base for the Metro Parks naturalist staff and a critical educational tool for the entire system. This renovation project included three distinct but integrated parts, the site, building and exhibits.

The new exhibits focus on conservation education and are designed in such a way that periodic changes can be made to keep them up to date. They provide interpretation of cultural history, natural history and sustainability.

The grounds were renovated as an extension of the lessons taught be the interpretive exhibits. The grounds illustrate various native habitats and the associated plants and animals and also illustrate sustainable backyard landscaping which incorporates native plants and techniques to minimize storm water runoff and minimize landscape maintenance. The major change was to handle the stormwater volume that originally flooded the building at its low point. Using constructed wetland and porous pavements the stormwater became a key feature rather than a problem.

The building will be a LEED certified ‘Green Building’ illustrating the Metro Parks’ commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. The building’s green elements will be visible to the public and interpretation will be provided so the visitor can see and understand their function and purpose and their impact on global warming and energy and resource conservation.

The project was installed by R.B. Stout and specified by the Metro Parks Serving Summit County.