Page 25 - March 2024 SRG Flipbook

Slippery Rock Gazette
April 2024 | 25
Continued from page 24
Natural Stone Institute Member Company
Coldspring
Coldspring, Minnesota
Stone Supplier/Fabricator
Project Team Members
Lamar Johnson Collaborative Landscape Designer
Damon Davis Artist
Earthworks Stone Supplier / Fabricator
Larson Engineering, Inc. Stone Engineer
Stone
Mesabi Black® granite Silverdale
Photos by Benjamin Scherliss Photography
Public Landscapes/Parks/ Memorials
Pillars of the Valley, Saint Louis, Missouri
Natural Stone Institute Member Company
Coldspring
Coldspring, Minnesota
Stone Supplier/Fabricator
Project Team Members
Brad J. Goldberg Artist
Damon Davis Artist
Progressive
Construction Services Stone Installer
Stone
Mesabi Black® granite
Public Landscapes/Parks/ Memorials
Turn to the River, Terra Haute, Indiana
The Pillars of the Valley is a public art installation in St. Louis, paying tribute to the historic Mill Creek Valley neighborhood. The neighborhood was a thriving 20th century African American community, but it was destroyed in 1959 due to redlining and segregation practices. The Pillars of the Valley monument con- sists of eight identical hourglass-shaped granite pedestals, each holding a textured V-shaped limestone piece representing hourglass sand. There is also a 42-foot- long horizontal granite plinth that displays a list of resident names, a map, and a di- mensional topographical depiction of the neighborhood. The monument is part of the larger Brickline Greenway revitaliza- tion project, which aims to connect several neighborhoods and attractions throughout the city with 20 miles of pedestrian-friendly pathways and green spaces.
Mesabi Black. granite was chosen for the monument due to its stately appear- ance, symbol of permanence, and ability to withstand harsh Midwestern elements. Coldspring was chosen for their ability to manage complex fabrication requirements, such as the gradual sloping needed on each
pedestal piece and the intricate CNC tool- ing needed to build each level of the con- toured plinth.
Coldspring also custom-engineered stainless steel dowel pieces to affix each V-shaped limestone piece to the pedestals. Transporting the large, heavy sections of granite 775 miles posed a challenge, but mobile cranes with reinforced nylon straps were used to set each piece in place at the installation site.
In total, over 1,000 square feet of Mesabi Black. granite was utilized across the eight hourglass pedestals, and an additional 420 square feet was used for the plinth. The Pillars of the Valley monument helps ensure that the stories, contributions, and cultural legacy of the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood remain part of the public conversation.
The community in Terre Haute, Indiana had a vision to reconnect their down- town with the river that runs through it. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of local leaders, a nonprofit arts organization, one artist, and Coldspring, that vision became reality. The ambitious idea would connect downtown with the Wabash Riverfront area through public art, new pathways, and rethinking the use of spaces.
The project features a remodeled plaza and a black granite sculpture. Quiet in nature, the sculpture creates the gentle sound of moving water and, together with the accompanying landscape elements, provides a sense of calm in a place whose purpose might otherwise be stressful. The sculpture includes a carved abstraction of the Wabash River Valley and pools in which the water falls at both ends of the artwork. The sculpture and its integral plaza, designed with paver blocks, are the first phase of the project and function as a catalyst for a future promenade. Future phases will include the development of the promenade with an event space and an ele- vated overlook that will provide beauti- ful views of a picturesque portion of the Wabash River.
Mesabi Black® granite was chosen for the sculpture for several reasons, includ- ing its ability to withstand Terre Haute’s
hard water conditions. Dark-colored stones make a striking visual when used in con- junction with water by enriching the qual- ities of both the water and the stone. In addition, the benefit of working with a black stone is that when you apply sand- blasting and other finished textures to the stone, a beautiful contrast in light and dark tones is created. Elegance and a sense of impeccable artisanship come together to form a place that is born from the City of Terre Haute and its river.
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