1. 2190 Delhi N.E.
P.O. Box 250
Holt, Michigan 48842
Phone: (517) 694-2566
Fax: (517) 694-1936
www.schiffermasoncontractors.com
Estimating Services:
Stephen W. Meyer, E
Direct: 517.694.0050
steve.meyer@schiffermasonry.com
Through leadership, innovation, focus and team work,
we are dedicated to providing the best in masonry
services.

2. Kirk in the Hills
The owner had the need to restore the cathedral's historic bell tower. However the members of the
church many being long time members who had supported, worshipped and loved this magnificent
structure wanted the work performed with as little interruption to their ongoing functions, such as
weddings, funerals and Sunday services. You can imagine it's your generation and your daughter
whose wedding takes place during the restore and there is scaffolding in all of her wedding
pictures...not something you would want. So during the planning process SMC worked with the
team and came up with a scaffolding idea that incorporated tying the historic and valuable bells up
out of the way, while bearing plates and I-beams were installed thru the upper bell tower windows,
creating a scaffolding base well above the ground allowing close up pictures of the church with little
or no indication of the ongoing construction. This idea was well received and in addition to being
aesthetically pleasing to the members it saved considerable costs.
Also at the top of the bell tower some 200' in the air, are several limestone buttresses that were
failing. To remove these, repair them and reset them would have required additional scaffolding
and a large crane for considerable time. SMC came up with the idea to repair them in place by
shop drawing and fabricating Stainless Steel Arched plates with SS expansion bolts that were
formed to match the arches and concealed within the limestone itself allowing the steel to be
installed and the limestone to be adjusted back into it's original position and stabilized by anchoring
back to the structure creating a long lasting repair that actually increased the performance of the
arches and saved an estimated $50,000 dollars.
SMC first placed experienced workers in one man swing stages and fish nets while going around
the entire tower and removing any loose stone that was feared to fall onto the existing church roof
many feet below.
Then SMC photographed each entire elevation of the bell tower needing repair and had the
photo's enlarged and using these photo's marked each stone with it's own identity. During the
repair each stone was removed and placed on the ground as per elevation in the position removed.
Each stone was evaluated as to the type of repair required. Some needed only to be reset, others
needed minor repair and others were entirely rebuilt from new stone by our crew onsite. Yet some
were of such scale and complexity that our master stonemasons created a 3D shop drawing to
scale and sent along with the remaining stone pieces which were crated and shipped to the stone
belt for recreation and shipped back to SMC Upon their arrival they were placed in position in our
laydown area. While the stone were being restored SMC had another crew preparing the brick
backup and anchoring system which due to previous water damage had deteriorated thus causing
the damage to the limestone façade. When the brick backup system was complete the newly
conditioned stone was reinstalled per the enlarged and coded photo's thus establishing a
completely exact restoration of the existing Bell Tower.

3. Fort Mackinaw
The Fort is located on Historic Mackinaw Island. This historic Michigan Landmark is visited by several
hundred thousand tourist each year. The Fort sets 200 feet above the Straits of Mackinaw where
Great Lakes Huron and Michigan come together.
The challenge was multiple. Being an Island, most of the materials would need to barged from
Michigan's mainland; not a small task in itself. The Island doesn't allow the operation of motorized
vehicles anywhere on the island. The Fort's thick rubble stone walls are constructed at the edge of
the steep sloped hill side and several of the walls were not resting on proper foundations. The walls
needed a blend of restoration, from light pointing to deep pointing and in many cases total rebuild.
Even though the State had known a restoration was eminent a portion of the Stone wall collapsed
during the night and the resulting cascading stone ended up in a public area several hundred feet
from where the wall once stood. Needless to say this inspired immediate action. SMC became a part
of the construction managers team. SMC created a detailed masonry estimate that included costs
and schedule information for each page and each page note and elevation involving the masonry
restoration. The costs were tied to crew size and task allowing the construction manager to create a
detailed and accurate schedule including costs for the project and owner.
Since the project schedule was to start in late March after the ice in the harbor opened up for the
barges and was halted in late fall before winter set in closing the harbor. It was imperative to have an
accurate cost accounting and schedule system allowing the work to be focused in the most critical
areas.
Cost also played a major role. The owner had a fixed budget for the repair and it was a focus for the
team to apply that money first to the areas of repair most needed. This included the work where a
wall failure during the day could be a safety issue for the islands residents and visitors.
Additional complications were the owners desire to undertake this massive restoration while
keeping the Fort open to the many visitors. We were in essence a live museum and the safety of the
public was an ongoing awareness and task.
The historic nature of the Fort also meant that SMC needed to interface regularly with the States
Archeologists prior to any digging for scaffolding or wall underpinning.
Also the project was highlighted by Forbes Magazine in their national article of how new technology
was taken advantage of by the actual workers. SMC and it's workers were recognized for the efficient
use of the internet and digital photography to interact with the entire construction team including
architects, which saved considerable time in the decision making processes and reduced the need
for many expensive, time consuming executive onsite meetings.
SMC would stock pile equipment and supplies on the Island in the late fall to allow flying the crew
on to the Island in the spring before the ice melted and the barges and people ferries resumed
operation.
In the end with the entire teams cooperative efforts enough money was saved on the masonry's
original tasks to go ahead with many additional stone restorations that were on the owners wish list
for future projects.

4. Fort Washington
Fort Washington had several challenges. The NPS had previously awarded repairs to a company
that to say the least underperformed. This was something that clouded the project from the
beginning. The project was also unique in that it was a stabilization on a historic structure.
Additionally the project needed all costing to be performed on documents that were several years
old and never completed. They in essence were hypothetical. The Fort's grounds were also
considered historic and in several places had been themselves restored, which meant on certain
parts of the Fort, particularly the exterior a scaffold system needed to be invented that would not
bare on the ground while working some fifty feet above on the superior slope repair. Also it was
the desire of the NPS to perform the work while allowing the parks visitors access to the site.
Being a stabilization also brought with it a real need to proceed in an expedient manor. Therefore
SMC's first task was to be on site with the design team to assist in their real need to see what was
inside the walls and paver areas. SMC spent several weeks with the design team and remained
on site thereafter performing the stabilization as the design was developed and in many cases
worked on a build/design bases directly with the entire team on a daily/weekly basis when the
uncovered conditions demanded the team to work close and in harmony to complete the project in
the seasonal schedule.
Additionally there was the challenge of not having any local historically trained manpower
available. Which SMC resolved by supplying historically trained skilled trades people from their
own forces and out of state resources.
Challenge of making a masonry cost proposal on outdated incomplete and/or non existent
documents was offset by SMC's many trips to the site and long research on the Fort and it's
historic background and materials. When it comes to serving our clients needs on projects of this
nature SMC's intuitive capabilities have been honed by nearly 40 years experience and hard work
in costing and restoring historic structures.
After the proposals were in and accepted SMC maintained an open mind and team effort in
agreeing to a more mutually beneficial alternative contract proposed by the management leader.