Sharon Koehler

Photos  Courtesy StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops

Not too long ago, Rich Strike stunned the horse-racing world by winning the Kentucky Derby. Close to 150,000 people at Churchill Downs watched in shock and awe as the 80 to 1 longshot wove his way through the field and emerged triumphant. But Rich Strike was not the only winner that day. StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops of Louisville, Kentucky also came out as winners.

StoneMark Granite, owned by Joel Coleman, has been creating projects in Louisville since 2003, when he first opened their doors. They offer “prestige service,” which guarantees the customer: 

  • Priority Scheduling
  • Enhanced seams
  • Uniformed Installers who are background checked
  • A clean kitchen at the end of every install
  • Protection mats for floors, and…
  • A crew who does not smoke on jobsites.

This service has given StoneMark a slew of 5-star Google reviews.

To cement their relationship with Louisville and the surrounding areas, they belong to Builders Industrial Association of Kentucky, and KHA (Kentucky Homebuilders Association).

National affiliations include the National Homebuilders Association, ISFA, and Rockheads Group, USA. 

Soon after opening, owner Joel Coleman saw the need for a dedicated sales person, and he convinced Dani Silverthorn, a 5-year veteran on the commercial side of the stone industry, to join the company and head up their commercial sales division. She had been quite successful in her previous position, and 4 years later, the commercial division of StoneMark Granite is now responsible for approximately 40 percent of StoneMark’s work. 


A Big Job on the Horizon

When Churchill Downs decided to renovate, they chose to work with Calhoun Construction Services. Calhoun then turned to their trusted stone services provider: StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops.                     

Dani and StoneMark Granite project manager Sam Norton spearheaded the first phase of the Churchill Downs project known as the Homestretch Bar phase. Dani did the bidding on the project. Dani quipped that Sam “played a key role in this project. Sam not only does take-offs, he also templates and schedules, as well.”

Contrary to its name, the Homestretch Bar project is not just a bar. This project involved fabricating and installing approximately 1,000 square feet of Calcutta Quartzite, most of it mitered. The quartzite was installed in the main bar, back bar, various displays, food display areas, Mutuals*, part of the front desk, and restrooms. The main bar itself is 95 feet long and is the longest bar in Kentucky. It consists of approximately 22 pieces, including an ADA dropdown. According to Sam, the bar is so extremely long that you really can’t get a good picture of it. Calhoun gave Stonemark a tough deadline: only 4 weeks to complete this phase, from template to install.

According to Dani and Sam, it took an entire day just to layout the bar. After that, with the help of two Northwood CNCs, a Marmo Meccanica straight-line polishing machine, and a BACA Robo SawJet that StoneMark purchased specifically for this project, the 7-man fabrication team went to work.

The Churchill Downs renovation project includes several phases of construction, so as to not impact crucial events like the Kentucky Derby. Recently, StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops were on a very tight schedule for this very high-profile job. The chosen material for the majority of this interior phase of the project was Calcutta quartzite, edge mitered, and vein-matched where possible. “A tight-knit and hard-working team of fabricators and installers made this possible,” said Dani Silverthorn.

The Churchill Downs renovation project includes several phases of construction, so as to not impact crucial events like the Kentucky Derby. Recently, StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops were on a very tight schedule for this very high-profile job.  The chosen material for the majority of this interior phase of the project was Calcutta quartzite, edge mitered, and vein-matched where possible. 
“A tight-knit and hard-working team of fabricators and installers made this possible,” said Dani Silverthorn.
The Churchill Downs renovation project includes several phases of construction, so as to not impact crucial events like the Kentucky Derby. Recently, StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops were on a very tight schedule for this very high-profile job. The chosen material for the majority of this interior phase of the project was Calcutta quartzite, edge mitered, and vein-matched where possible. “A tight-knit and hard-working team of fabricators and installers made this possible,” said Dani Silverthorn.


Local Talent

One lucky break for Stonemark Granite is that they are only 10 minutes away from Churchill Downs. So, they were able to bring the project out in mini phases of 250 – 300 square feet at a time, keeping their three, 3-man crews busy, but not requiring any special, heavy-duty equipment or transportation vehicles. 

When that part of the project was finished, Dani and Sam were split on what the biggest challenges were. Dani said she thought it was all the mitering, while Sam thought it was coordinating the project with Calhoun and all the other subcontractors. Whatever the challenges were, the StoneMark team worked through them and helped make the project a remarkable success. 

After the Homestretch bar project was complete, Stonemark was then awarded a second phase renovation job: The Cabana project. The Cabana area renovation would add another 1,000 square feet of material that needed to be templated, cut, and installed — in just 3 weeks!

The material chosen for this project was Diresco Divinity Crema quartz. The components in Diresco quartz include plant-based resins with UV-stabilizers, making it a UV-stable quartz product rated for use in outdoor projects. Diresco was perfect for the open-air Cabana seating area situated by the track rail. 

StoneMark followed the same plan that they used for the Homestretch Bar portion of the remodel. Sam did the take-offs, templating, and scheduling while Dani did the bidding. This project was also brought out in mini phases, and just like the first phase, everything went smoothly. 

The Homestretch bartop is reportedly the longest in Kentucky: some 95 feet of mitered Calcutta quartzite.

Above: The Homestretch bartop is reportedly the longest in Kentucky: some 95 feet of mitered Calcutta quartzite.
Installation in progress on the Mutual betting counter (above, and above right), which also used mitered Calcutta quartzite for the top and front counter edge. In all, an estimated 1,000 square feet of hard-wearing quartzite stone were used on this phase of the Churchill Downs project.

Above left and below: Installation in progress on the Mutual betting counter, which also used mitered Calcutta quartzite for the top and front counter edge. In all, an estimated 1,000 square feet of hard-wearing quartzite stone were used on this phase of the Churchill Downs project.


Above, right: Work on the behind the bar area, in early stages of installation.
Installation in progress on the Mutual betting counter (above, and below), which also used mitered Calcutta quartzite for the top and front counter edge. In all, an estimated 1,000 square feet of hard-wearing quartzite stone were used on this phase of the Churchill Downs project.
A complete final cleanup is standard practice for StoneMark installations, Including large commercial jobs. Here, a StoneMark installer works on the tiled floor under a mitered vanity.

Above: A complete final cleanup is standard practice for StoneMark installations, Including large commercial jobs. Here, a StoneMark installer works on the tiled floor under a mitered vanity.  
the Homestretch bar wraps around to a complex, mitered ADA-compliant countertop. “Precise templating and cutting was an essential part of a smooth install on this job,” said Dani Silverthorn.

Above: The Homestretch bar wraps around to a complex, mitered ADA-compliant countertop. “Precise templating and cutting was an essential part of a smooth install on this job,” said Dani Silverthorn.

Below: Part of the long stretch of the deluxe Cabana seating area, next to the track. For this project, StoneMark specified 1,000 square feet of Diresco quartz Divinity Crema, from supplier OHM.
Part of the long stretch of the deluxe Cabana seating area, next to the track. For this project, StoneMark specified 1,000 square feet of Diresco quartz Divinity Crema, from supplier OHM.


Teamwork Gets it Done

StoneMark gave their supplier OHM a good deal of credit for collaborating with them and getting the material to them as quickly as possible. According to Dani, Beth, the manager at OHM, “moved mountains” to get them the mountain of material they needed.

With phases 1 and 2 in the books, StoneMark is now looking forward to other phases of the Churchill Downs renovation. The paddock area is being relocated to the opposite side of the track to make room for another lounge area, and next year StoneMark will be working on the new Turn 1 area. Churchill Downs is in the planning stages of a “Derby City” gaming project, which will add a hotel and casino to the famous site. Dani and Sam are currently working on the bidding for that project, as well.

When asked if there was anything else they wanted to say about this project, or StoneMark, Dani emphatically responded: “We have a great team! We all work together, including our boss, Joel Coleman. He is an amazing owner and boss. He always makes sure that if there is anything we need to get the job done, he is always available.”

StoneMark Granite and Quartz Countertops has been in Louisville for just shy of 20 years and they have installed over 20,000 countertops. Their team of 35 trusted professionals have developed into a well-oiled machine that gets the job done, no matter how big or small. Visit stonemarkgranite.com for more information.


Please send your thoughts on this article to Sharon Koehler at Sharonk.SRG@gmail.com. 


*For those of you who don’t have horse racing in your area, Mutuals are the stations where the public goes to place their bets.