Work at New Castle High School nets Golden Trowel Award

Stevens Masonry Construction, Inc. of New Castle is a 2007 winner of the coveted Golden Trowel award for its work on the $50 million New Castle High School project. Stevens won Golden Trowel best-in-category of educational facilities for interior work, and received honorable mention for the entire project in 2005.

The high school rebuild is the largest construction project in New Castle in 80 years. Stevens' masonry work included interior walls, wall foundations, load-bearing stairways, and exterior cavity wall veneer construction. Work was judged on Phase II of the facility's project.

Stevens President Ed Stevens believes his company gained recognition by meeting or exceeding all scheduling dates, properly manning the project, being a team player and communicating with the general contractor, contract manager, and owner.

"We produced quality masonry work in an economic, timely manner for the benefit of all involved: the owner, the students and the taxpayers," he said.

Stevens, is a third-generation family business located at 175 Olde Colony Drive. The company completes institutional, industrial and commercial projects, ranging in size from office structures to 300,000-sq.-ft. shopping plazas. "Our whole family graduated from 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," said Stevens.

Stevens Masonry Construction, Inc. is also a member of The Builders - the Builders Association of eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Fellow Association members Gibson Construction and Youngstown Tile and Terrazzo also were honored by the award program for their work at the high school.

"We at The Builders congratulates all of our members who earned this recognition, but I really can't say I'm surprised," said Kevin Reilly, executive vice president of The Builders. "This quality of work is by far the rule - not the exception - to work done by members of our Association.

The Golden Trowel awards are sponsored by the International Masonry Institute (IMI), in conjunction with other local organizations. Entries are judged by a panel of architects, craftworkers, contractors and educators.