Rocky Mountain Masonry Blog

April is Injury Prevention Month

2010-04-05T10:05:00.000-06:00

April is Injury Prevention Month, a good time to remind your workers of the critical role they play in the prevention of workplace injuries. Because they do the job every day, they know better than anyone else what could potentially result in a workplace injury or illness. Remind employees that they know best:

The machinery and equipment that they work with. They know if guards are missing or if extra guarding should be added. They also know if a machine is performing as safely as it should be.
If the floor in their area gets slippery and about common trip hazards in their area.
Which items in their area are heavy and should be lifted only with material-handling aids.
If safe work practices developed for their job are actually effective in preventing accidents or if they need to be improved.
About the near misses and minor first-aid injuries that employees in their work area suffer.
If the personal protective equipment (PPE) provided for their job provides adequate protection.
If the safety equipment (fire extinguishers, eyewash station) in their area is accessible and in good condition.
The tricks that make their job easier and safer.
To prevent injuries, you must tap into this vast source of worker workplace knowledge. Encourage your workers to:

Submit safety suggestions for their work areas, operations, and equipment. Instruct them in the suggestion process and where, how, and to whom to submit their ideas.
Serve on the safety committee. Let them know the goals and activities of the committee and how they can help.
Participate in safety training meetings. Urge them to pay attention, ask questions, and share insights on the training topic.
Perform daily and assigned inspections. Instruct them to inspect PPE, equipment, and their work areas before every job and every shift. They should also perform other inspections at their regularly scheduled times.
Practice good safety habits. Encourage them to follow safe operating procedures, never take short cuts, and always be thorough and conscientious in their work.
Report near misses and first-aid incidents. Remind them that knowledge is power, so sharing close calls and events that required first aid can help prevent first-time or repeat accidents.
Injury prevention requires constant diligence on the part of both management and employees. Let employees know that they have valuable input and encourage them to give it regularly and freely.

Why It Matters

Each year more than 6,000 Americans are killed on the job.
About 3.6 million suffer disabling injuries.
Employees are key players in preventing these injuries and fatalities.

2010 Masterworks in Masonry

2010-03-31T13:02:00.000-06:00

Entry forms for Masterworks in Masonry will be available for download on the RMMI website www.rmmi.org beginning Thursday, April 1. Entries will be accepted April 1 to June 11. Any member of the design or construction team can enter a project - the mason, GC, architect, project owner... and entry is free. Categories will include Load-Bearing Masonry, Commercial Masonry and Institutional Masonry. Judging Criteria will include design quality, innovation, craftsmanship, and overall excellence. Eligible projects must be located in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana or Idaho and have been completed, or will be 90% complete, between Sept. 1 2009 and Aug. 31, 2010.

Free Sandstone Available

2010-03-29T12:39:00.000-06:00

The London House Condo Association, 1233 Ogden Street, is looking for someone to salvage and re-use a sandstone retaining wall. The length of these stones range from 1 ft to a couple that are 4 ft long. They are about a thickness of 9 x10 inches. These are the top or "cap" stones. Additionally the flat stones beneath them of the same material are about 3 inches thick.
The total wall is about 340 feet long, in three sections. At this point they are only going to replace the South end of the wall that runs from the alley to the outside club room entrance. The rest will be replaced in the next couple of years. Contact Nancy at RMMI for more information 303-893-3838 or nancy@rmmi.org.

Masterworks in Masonry

2009-10-05T08:56:00.000-06:00

The Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s Masterworks in Masonry awards honor the best in masonry design and construction in the Rocky Mountain region. Our Masterworks awards originated as the Steve Dach awards in the 1990s and have evolved over time. The 2009 Masterworks awards recognize Commercial, Load Bearing, and Institutional masonry projects completed in the past year. This is the first year that RMMI has fully partnered with McGraw Hill’s Gold Hard Hat program, and the judging was done by the same team that judged the Gold Hard Hats with the noted exception that our Technical Staff - Diane Travis and Shahnaz Jaffari recused themselves from judging the masonry projects.

Commercial Masonry
Third Place: NorthCreek Phase III
Submitted by: J.C. Slocum at The Gallegos Corporation
Owner: Western Development Group
General Contractor: The Weitz Company
Project Design Firm: Humphries Poli Architects
NorthCreek Phase III is a mixed use commercial project in Cherry Creek. The $20 million project broke ground in November 2007 and was completed n March 2009. Multiple masonry materials used include granite cladding, sandstone cladding, ashlar sandstone veneer, CMU and granite paving. These materials came from a variety of sources in China, Canada, Texas and Minnesota and Lyons, Colorado.

Second Place: Johnstown Town Hall
Submitted by: Josh Cronholm at Ammex Masonry
Owner: Town of Johnstown
General Contractor: Mark Young Construction Inc.
Project Design Firm: Andrews & Anderson Architects
Johnstown Town Hall is nearly 18,000 square feet and is designed to serve Johnstown’s projected population growth and town staff for at least two decades. The $3.5 million project was completed in January 2009. The exterior of the building consists of modular brick veneer, precast concrete bands, coping window sills and headers, and sandstone panels. The interior entry features a full height Lyons red sandstone fireplace.

First Place: Arrabelle at Vail Square
Submitted by: David Little at The Gallegos Corporation
Owner: Vail Resorts
General Contractor: Shaw Construction
Project Design Firm: 42/40 Architecture
Arrabelle at Vail Square is a luxury hotel designed to evoke the authentic character of European Alpine destinations. The hotel features 62 lavish guest rooms and suites as well as 25 private residences. This $180 million project broke ground in January 2005 and was completed in September 2008.
The masonry portion of this project involved more than 10,500 cast stone pieces, including window and door surrounds, balcony fascias and balustrades. Pieces weighed up to 3,000 pounds, requiring special handling techniques. The Gallegos Corporation installed 125,000 square feet of interlocking concrete pavers, 30,000 square feet of Rubble Limestone veneers and 25,000 square feet of CMU in this project. In addition, they installed numerous fireplace surrounds and limestone columns in the elegant Centre V Restaurant.

Institutional Masonry
Second Place: South Adams County Fire District Station No. 7
Submitted by: Peter Hynes at Urbitecture
Owner: South Adams County Fire Department
General Contractor: Anderson Construction Company
Project Design Firm: Urbitecture
The South Adams County Fire Station #7 is a 4,824 square foot structure anchored by two back-in style apparatus bays that open toward sweeping views of the Rocky Mountains. The $818,500 project broke ground in September 2008 and was completed in April 2009. The station tower and apparatus bays are load-bearing brick on block masonry construction and the center dorms are brick veneer on wood frame construction. The project includes tumbled brick, precast stone accent quoins, concrete paving, and classic brick arches.

First Place: Arvada West High School Phase II
Submitted by Tim Habben at LOA Architects
Owner: Jefferson County Public Schools
General Contractor: JHL Constructors
Project Design Firm: LOA Architects, P.C.
The Phase II design and construction was an addition to the Phase I west wing structure of Arvada West High School, which was completed in 2003. Exterior materials include two colors of brick masonry and corrugated metal panels. The atrium floor material is porcelain tile. This $25.5 million project broke ground in August 2006 and was completed in December 2008.
The initial concept for Phase I and Phase II was for the school to have an office building image which features large punched exterior windows and a two-story atrium. Contiguous to the atrium space are two levels of classrooms, which have borrowed light windows that capture the light of the atrium. In 2003, the daylighting concept was not yet popular, but has since come into vogue. Phase II features classrooms that have both exterior windows and interior “borrowed light” windows.

Load-Bearing Masonry
Perriman-Brown Residence
Submitted by Kevin Shaffer at KWS Design, LLC
Owner: Janet Perriman & Greg Brown
General Contractor: Janet Perriman & Greg Brown
Project Design Firm: KWS Design, LLC
The Perriman-Brown residence is a Santa Fe-style home nestled in a Golden, Colorado, residential community. This load-bearing masonry home is a design-build project which was value engineered with recycled concrete masonry units. All of the CMU’s were leftovers from other complete projects. This $350,000 project broke ground in September 2007 and was completed in June 2009.
This home includes an enhanced courtyard gateway with hand-carved wood doors, two kivas integral with the courtyard walls and custom spa, a full outdoor kitchen, a solid roof structure featuring steel beams clad with hand hewn wood to match the architecture, shade structure, and water feature with waterfalls and pool. The courtyard wall presented particular challenges due to its multi-curving length and integral kivas, window punches, gates and gateways, and utilities.

Mud Will Fly

2009-10-03T13:16:00.000-06:00

Colorado Construction Career Days is next week. That means for two days, Oct 6 & 7, volunteers from Creative Hardscapes, Berich Masonry, A.P. Eberlein, Grosvenor Masonry and more will be teaching about 1,600 high school students how to lay brick using materials donated by United Rentals, Eatherton Masonry, A.P. Eberlein, and Grosvenor Masonry, among others. If you’ve got a mason or hoddie to spare for the day, let us know and we’ll put them to work. It takes a village to keep high schoolers from getting into mortar fights. Call 303-893-3838 or email nancy@rmmi.org

The Value of LEED

2009-09-08T08:09:00.001-06:00

LEED Buildings are showing their worth in Denver. Businesses are seeing value in the energy efficient construction. Great article about it in today's Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13288722

Masterworks in Masonry

2009-09-03T08:45:00.002-06:00

RMMI will be presenting its Masterworks in Masonry awards to masons, architects and engineers who designed notable projects in the last year. The awards, for Commercial Masonry, Load Bearing Masonry, and Institutional Masonry will be presented alongside McGraw-Hill's Gold Hard Hat Awards. The event is Oct 2 at the Denver Athletic Club. Call 303-584-6724 for information or reservations.

OSHA Reform

2009-09-01T07:53:00.001-06:00

Sherman and Howard are warning about the proposed OSHA laws:
Get Ready for OSHA Reform
by Rod Smith and Pat Miller
Congress recently reintroduced legislation which, if enacted, will drastically expand coverage, enhance whistleblower protections and increase civil penalties and criminal sanctions under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Protecting America’s Workers Act of 2009 (S.1580, H.R. 2067) was introduced by the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Representative Lynn Woolsey (D- Calif.) and is awaiting consideration by Senate and House committees. The Act would:
Expand coverage of the OSH Act to all federal, state and some local workers. Except in certain “state plan” states, public employees are currently exempt from OSHA.
Expand OSHA’s whistleblower protection by codifying an employee’s right to make safety complaints or refuse to do hazardous work. When a whistleblower claim is successful, OSHA would have the power to immediately order reinstatement, back pay, compensatory damages and the employee’s attorneys’ fees and costs.
Prohibit employers from discouraging employees from reporting work-related injuries or illnesses, or discriminating against employees who do.
Require employers to pay employees for all time spent participating in or “aiding in” an OSHA inspection.
Require OSHA to investigate all accidents resulting in the death of an employee or the hospitalization of two or more employees.
Grant substantial new “Victim’s Rights” to employees who sustain a work-related injury or illness subject to an OSHA inspection or to the employee’s family members where the employee died or is unable to assert his or her rights. Victims or their representatives would be afforded the right to participate in OSHA’s inspection, receive certain information and object to settlement agreements between OSHA and the employer.
Allow employees and unions to object to and even contest settlements between OSHA and employers that withdraw or modify citations.
Increase the maximum penalties for “Repeat” or “Willful” violations from $70,000 to $120,000. Repeat or willful violations resulting in the death of an employee could be assessed as high as $250,000. Maximum penalties for Serious and “Other-than-serious” violations would be increased from $7,000 to $12,000, with penalties up to $50,000 for Serious or Other-than-serious violations causing death. OSHA will be required to adjust penalties for inflation every four years.
Expand OSHA’s criminal liability provisions to make willful violations causing death or “serious bodily injury” a felony subject to substantial fines and imprisonment under the U.S. Criminal Code. In addition to corporate employers, “responsible corporate officers” would be individually liable for criminal violations of the OSHA Act.
The Protecting America’s Workers Act of 2009 is more onerous than similar legislation introduced last year and is yet another sign of the Obama Administration’s intent to take a much tougher stance on OSHA enforcement (See "OSHA Back in the Enforcement Business"). Although passage of the proposed legislation is uncertain at this time, there is no question that the Act, if passed, will significantly impact public and private employers. Employers and employer groups are urged to monitor its progress.

Immigration Enforcement and Audits increasing

2009-08-28T15:27:00.001-06:00

The United States Government is increasing its enforcement and audit presence, especially with regard to issues involving immigration and employer sanctions. Audits and reviews are currently being performed by either agents of the United States Government, or by contractors or investigators engaged for that purpose. In the past,investigators have contacted companies in advance to inform them of an audit or investigation and schedule a convenient meeting time. Now they simply arrive unannounced at the business and ask for information. It is critical that staff who may be the first point of contact, such as the receptionist or other front desk personnel, be educated about how to conduct themselves in the
event this occurs.
Front desk personnel should be instructed that they are not to provide any information. They should request to see identification and then should contact the company official who will serve as the company spokesperson in dealing with the Government auditor or investigator. There should be one specifically designated individual within the organization who will serve this function and all staff should be made aware that this is the only person authorized to talk to a Government agent or investigator. The front desk personnel or receptionist should be cooperative
but should indicate that they are not authorized to provide the information.
Unless the Government agent or investigator presents a search warrant or subpoena for specific information, documents or items to be produced immediately, you or your members may request that they schedule a more convenient time to return. You may not refuse to speak with them altogether. It is to your benefit to be cooperative in providing what they request, if it is a legally sound and reasonable request, without providing them with any additional documentation or information. Often agents will engage in conversation to uncover details that may lead to further
avenues of investigation.

Taking Aim

2009-08-27T08:14:00.001-06:00

Participants in the inaugural RMMI Archery Event at Golden High Country Archers deemed the event a “do-again,” and so plans are already underway for next year’s event. Two dozen archers took to the trail in search of 20 3-D targets hidden in the lush greenery behind Tony Grampsas park in Golden on Friday. In the Compound Bow division, Randy Carey of Big Horn Masonry took 1st place, followed by Brian Retland of Mission Masonry in 2nd and Rob Davis of Mission Masonry in 3rd. Rod Hayward of Threewit-Cooper owned the Traditional Bow category. In the beginner’s division, Alex Reed of United Rentals took 1st place, Randy Tuinder of Colorado Scaffolding took 2nd and Luke Barnes of United Rentals took 3rd. Jay Retzko of Boral Best Block earned the low score prize.
This was a member-planned and member-driven event with Scott Powers of Telluride Stone and Pem and Deb Eberlein of A.P. Eberlein doing all the work. They made the event a tremendous success.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, including Trophy sponsors A.P. Eberlein, JVS Masonry and TXI; Picnic Burger & Dog sponsor Telluride Stone; Appetizers at In the Zone sponsors Robinson Brick Company, Basalite, Boral Best Block and Rio Grande Co.; and Station sponsors Atkinson-Noland, Basalite, Threewit-Cooper, Summit Brick, US Masonry, JVS Masonry, Fischbach Masonry, Colorado Scaffolding, TXI, and United Rentals.
There were tons of door prizes distributed at the awards reception at In the Zone, provided by: Bear Creek Archery, Tanglewood Archery, Archery in the Wild, Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear, No Limits Archery, Heads Up Decoys, Buck Knives, HHA Sports, Trophy Taker, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Montana Decoy, Scott Archery, Muzzy, Shwacker, and Cmere Deer.

Searching for an Exec

2009-08-26T08:02:00.001-06:00

The Board of Directors has formed a search committee to identify a new Executive Director for RMMI. The job has been posted on online job boards with a live link to the job description, which is posted on RMMI’s website. Applications are due by Sept. 11, after which the interview process will begin.

Work Ethic will be Taught in Schools

2009-08-25T08:09:00.000-06:00

There is a huge change in education about to take place in Colorado. The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness requirements that students will be taught include not only basic academics, but also learning and behavior skills. Two key areas that are of interest to all the construction trades are “Work Ethic” and “Personal Responsibility.” Other items of note include “Collaboration” “Communication” and “Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.” For more information on the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness requirements, go to the Colorado Department of Education homepage. http://www.cde.state.co.us/

Apprentice Training

2009-08-24T09:09:00.000-06:00

Speaking of education, there is still time to enroll students in the fall Masonry Arts class at Front Range Community College. High School Juniors and Seniors can take these classes, as well as traditional apprentices and unemployed workers looking to improve their employability. This semester FRCC is running a “stacked” class, which means all skill levels are in the same class but receive different levels of instruction. The class is Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Contact Ryan at FRCC 303-404-5233.

OSHA on You Tube

2009-05-06T08:35:00.001-06:00

Jordan Barab delivers a speech on plans to enhance OSHA enforcement

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjCaXUwoCeI

Online Masonry Certification webinar coming up

2009-05-04T12:40:00.002-06:00

Mason Contractors can now take certification classes online through MCAA.

Sign up now to participate in the next Certification webinars on Wednesday, May 6 at 10:00 AM CST and Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 AM CST. The webinar is free to all who wish to attend. Space is limited! Please contact Sharyl Toynton at the MCAA office at 800-536-2225 or by e-mail at stoynton@masoncontractors.org with your desire to participate. Learn more about Certification

OSHA inspections to dramatically increase

2009-04-29T15:24:00.001-06:00

U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced that her department would strengthen the Occupational Safety and Health Administration by adding hundreds of investigators and spending tens of millions of dollars on enforcement activities.

House Democrats last week introduced a sweeping bill to beef up worker protections laws under the Occupational Safety and Health Act that lawmakers believe have been too lax, leading to injury and death. The Protecting America’s Workers Act would stiffen fines for violations of workplace safety law and create a new felony category for criminal violations. It also covers more workers and adds protections for workers who disclose problems on the job

Dividends for Safety

2009-03-13T13:50:00.001-06:00

Members of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s Workers Compensation program will share in a group dividend of $106,764.
The nonprofit trade association’s Workers Comp group earned the sizeable dividend by having a strong commitment to safety and an active safety committee. Members of the group attend quarterly safety meetings and receive a number of complimentary services from Pinnacol Assurance. To be eligible for the group dividend plan, companies in the masonry industry must be members in good standing of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, be insured with Pinnacol Assurance, attend two safety meetings annually and agree to implement steps from Pinnacol Assurance’s six-step safety program.
The group had an annual premium of more than $1,243,000 during the July 1, 2007, to July 1, 2008 policy period for which the dividend was issued. By combining the individual premium of group dividend members, a larger premium is established, allowing Pinnacol Assurance to reduce costs and return dividends to members based on loss histories. The dividend payment will be split among the 28 members of the group, based on individual loss rations for each member company. Each member’s premium is based on his or her individual loss experience. Members with few claims receive a greater portion of the dividend: those with a number of claims receive little or no portion of the dividend.

Rocky is gone

2009-02-26T12:32:00.001-07:00

Farewell to the Rocky Mountain News. After 150 years, it will publish its last edition on Friday, Feb. 27. It's a sad day in Denver.

Catch the Oscars?

2009-02-25T11:59:00.002-07:00

Anybody catch the oscars? The short animated french film that won was apparently about masonry. I'm looking for a clip that we can legally link. If you see it, send the link to info@rmmi.org please

Immigration reform ticker

2009-02-10T08:49:00.002-07:00

On the web site http://www.respectrespeto.org/en/ there's a countdown ticker to track how long it takes for President Obama to institute immigration reform. The group " Respect Respeto" wants immigration reform to be part of the stimulous package because of the number of immigrants who make up the labor workforce that will be needed to build the plan's transportation and school building projects.

Safety Stimulous

2009-02-09T08:05:00.002-07:00

RMMI is offering FREE safety training for masons and hoddies in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The first class will be Thursday, Feb. 26 from 1 to 5 p.m. at RMMI, 686 Mariposa St, Denver. The full schedule of classes, which will include Pueblo, Grand Junction, Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins, Cheyenne, and points north up to and including Boise, will be announced soon. Watch our website for more info www.rmmi.org

SpecMix Bricklayer 500 results

2009-02-06T08:51:00.001-07:00

Mason Tyke Mangum from North Carolina, took first place overall in the SpecMix Bricklayer 500 with record 890 brick laid. This timed, 60 minute competition was held on Wednesday, 1:30 PM CST, February 4th, 2009, at the Masonry Construction’s Challenge Arena, located in the Gold Lot, at the 2009 World of Concrete / World of Masonry trade show. This is the largest annual construction trade show in the world. It is held once a year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 2009 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National is a bricklaying competition comprised of the best bricklayers in the world. Twenty, 2-man teams made up of a mason and mason tender, compete to lay the most brick while meeting strictly defined quality standards. The competition has the largest winner’s purse of any masonry competition. The competitors compete for well over $100,000 in cash and prizes before a crowd of 4,500 arena spectators and thousands more by live webcast.

For more details about this event go to www.specmixbricklayer500.com This is the web site that offers a FREE, webcast connection of the archived 2009 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National.
To view an archive video of the 2009 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 National competition go to: http://www.smbl500.com/webcast-info.cfm

Business Scam: Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement

2009-02-05T12:13:00.002-07:00

There's a warning in Colorado for Business Owners. A scam letter is being sent to business owners across the state telling them to renew their dues. The letter contains some misspellings and grammatical errors, which can be a tip-off.
The document is called the Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement and says you have to remit the money by Monday, Feb. 9. The "bill" is supposed to be paid by check and mailed to a PO box.
Someone ran this same scam last year, according to the Secretary of State's office.
Anyone who receives an Annual Minutes Disclosure Statement renewal notice is supposted to contact the secretary of state by writing to business@sos.state.co.us. You can also call 303-894-2200, and press 2 for the business division.

The economy needs tuck pointing

2009-01-30T15:35:00.002-07:00

The economy shrank by 3.8%. It previously was expanding, and when its done shrinking it will expand again. Just like the freeze-thaw effect on masonry. When there's intense freeze-thaw cycles, part of the structure crumbles away and needs to be tuck pointed. Just a thought. Is Obama a tuck pointer?

Immigration Laws chasing away immigrant workers

2009-01-29T12:04:00.002-07:00

The Associated Press is reporting that Gov. Bill Ritter says fewer immigrant workers are coming to Colorado because of tougher state laws.
AP reports that Ritter admitted that immigration laws passed in 2006 have hurt Colorado's ski and hotel industries by making it harder to find enough seasonal workers.
and agricultural employers along the northern Front Range aren't finding as many immigrant workers as in the past.
Why wasn't construction mentioned?
With unemployment among Coloradans running 6.1%, are the locals being referred to fill those jobs? Are Coloradans willing to work as hard at the immigrant workers did?

Crossing fingers on Economic Stimulus Plan

2009-01-28T16:24:00.002-07:00

Obama's $819 billion economic stimulus plan has passed the House, but it faces a bigger battle in the Senate. If it passes, let's hope it works. Lets hope it puts people to work, building roads, building schools, building business. The personal tax cuts won't hurt either.

National Contractors Rating Bureau

2009-01-26T08:35:00.002-07:00

Residential Contractors apparently can buy a customer service rating from an internet marketing company.

The following release is running on PR Newswire
National Contractors Rating Bureau, LLC is proud to announce its partnership with Shivonne LaViolette who will be starting the Denver sales operation for TrueBlueContractors.com.
As Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Mrs. Laviolette's first goal is to recruit and develop our sales team in Denver, Colorado. Anyone wishing to be considered should send their resume to slaviolette@truebluecontractors.com or call 720-297-6027.
TrueBlueContractors.com takes homeowner/contractor matching to a new level by making sure homeowners are serious, contractors get screened annually, and matching is not charged "per lead." Oh, and it's free to homeowners!
Contractor members receive annual membership, massive advertising, a web profile, unlimited free referrals to pre-matched homeowners, and the pride and competitive edge that come with being a rated member of TrueBlueContractors.com. And all this costs less than the price of a small yellow page ad

The architects who define denver

2009-01-23T15:27:00.002-07:00

Mary Volz Chandler at the Rocky Mountain News has just posted a column about the architects who define Denver. Take a look at the column while the newspaper still exists. No one knows from day to day if it will cease publication or be sold.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/23/buildings-redefine-denver-by-design/

Some things just need repeating....

2009-01-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

"This is a little bit like having the coolest seat in hell," joked Tom Clark, executive vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp., about Colorado doing better than other states in the worst downturn since the 1930s.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11521769

Poet notes masons contribution in inauguration

2009-01-22T11:22:00.002-07:00

There are many reasons to celebrate Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President. But on that day, masons and masonry manufacturers had extra reason to celebrate. Masonry's contribution to the building of this country was noted in the inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander's poem "Praise Song for the Day."
picked the cotton and the lettuce, built
brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Pretty awesome stuff!

The following is a transcript of the inaugural poem, “Praise Song for the Day,” written and recited by Elizabeth Alexander, as provided by Graywolf Press.

Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other, catching each other’s
eyes or not, about to speak or speaking.

All about us is noise. All about us is
noise and bramble, thorn and din, each
one of our ancestors on our tongues.

Someone is stitching up a hem, darning
a hole in a uniform, patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere,
with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum,
with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky.
A teacher says, Take out your pencils. Begin.

We encounter each other in words, words
spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed,
words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark
the will of some one and then others, who said
I need to see what’s on the other side.

I know there’s something better down the road.
We need to find a place where we are safe.
We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain: that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges,

picked the cotton and the lettuce, built
brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle, praise song for the day.
Praise song for every hand-lettered sign,
the figuring-it-out at kitchen tables.

Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself,
others by first do no harm or take no more
than you need. What if the mightiest word is love?

Love beyond marital, filial, national,
love that casts a widening pool of light,
love with no need to pre-empt grievance.

In today’s sharp sparkle, this winter air,
any thing can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,

praise song for walking forward in that light.

2009-01-19T08:35:00.002-07:00

The American Solar Energy Society released a report on jobs created by the Green movement. The report shows that 9 million jobs and $1,045 billion in U.S. revenue in 2007 was created by renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. While the report includes auto salesmen who work at dealerships which sell hybrids in addition to conventional gas guzzlers, it does not include masons or people employed by the masonry manufacturers. It seems more education needs to be done. Masonry is a green material that significantly reduces the need for energy consumption.
www.ases.org/greenjobs
Key conclusions from this report include:
• Renewable energy and energy efficiency currently provide more than 9 million jobs and $1,045 billion in revenue in the U.S. (2007). The previous year (2006) renewable energy and energy efficiency represented 8.5 million jobs and $972 billion in revenue.• 95% of the jobs are in private industry.• As many as 37 million jobs can be generated by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries in the U.S. by 2030 – more than 17% of all anticipated U.S. employment.• Hottest sectors include solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, biofuels, and fuel cells (in terms of revenue growth).• Hot job areas include electricians, mechanical engineers, welders, metal workers, construction managers, accountants, analysts, environmental scientists, and chemists. The vast majority of jobs created by the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries are in the same types of roles seen in other industries (accountants, factory workers, IT professionals, etc).• Renewable energy and energy efficiency can create millions of well-paying jobs, many of which are not subject to foreign outsourcing. These jobs are in two categories that every state is eager to attract – college-educated professional workers (many with advanced degrees), and highly skilled technical workers.• The renewable energy industry grew more than three times as fast as the U.S. economy in 2007 (not including hydropower). Renewable energy is also growing more rapidly than the energy efficiency industry, but the energy efficiency industry is currently much larger than the renewable energy industry.

Not all Change is Good

2009-01-16T08:31:00.002-07:00

The promise of the Obama campaign, the mantra, was "Change."
Well, here comes some of the "Change."
Obama's nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has promised to change the focus of immigration enforcement. Rather than working to make sure that construction and hospitality and agriculture have enough legal individuals to do the job, she announced she will work to prosecute employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Yep, criminalize the employers whose businesses are fighting to keep what's left of the economy afloat.
Nice change Obama.

LOL! New construction tool

2009-01-15T13:14:00.002-07:00

Check out the new tool that they are using in Minnesota
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/weather/2009/01/15/kare.banana.hammer.cnn

Whats a Tudor?

2009-01-09T13:53:00.002-07:00

Mary Volz Chandler at the Rocky Mountain News has a fun article describing the different home types available around Denver. Most of the houses are masonry - digging that !
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/02/the-rockys-expert-helps-you-identify-classic-in/

masonry paybacks

2009-01-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through aliquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window.The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief in the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store windowwas made of Plexiglas. The whole event was immortalized on videotape.

Construction Projects May Accelerate

2008-12-12T16:13:00.002-07:00

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper is allegedly going to accelerate 200 Denver construction projects which were part of a successful bond issue passed last year. The projects, slated for completion over 5 years, are supposed to now be completed in 4 years.
The projects are varied, such as the construction of three libraries, a police crime lab and an animal shelter; the widening of Federal Boulevard; and renovations to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Boettcher Concert Hall.

Block is not watertight on its own

2008-12-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

Concrete block, particularly lightweight concrete block, is not weather tight if you do not apply a water repellent coating to it. Water repellent coatings usually last between 2 and 10 years, depending upon the exposure of the building and the competence of the applicator. As a rule of thumb, penetrating water repellents last longer because they are not as prone to ultraviolet degradation as surface coatings are. I recommend Silane and Siloxane-based coatings because of this longevity.
If you want to read more about water repellent coatings for concrete block, go to the web site for the National Concrete Masonry Association at www.ncma.org. Look for an icon labeled “E-Tek”. Click on this heading and it will take you to another web site where you can download technical articles. I suggest you download:
Tek Note 8-1A - Maintenance of Concrete Masonry Walls
Tek Note 19-1 - Water Repellents for Concrete Masonry Walls
My favorite flashing/weep system for single wythe walls is called Cavity Vent. It is a strip of corrugated plastic that you install at the base of the wall, where the block meets the foundation. I like the product because it is fast and easy to install and it does not deteriorate over time. Structural engineers like it because it does not interfere with rebar placement and it does not cause shear plane weakness at the base of the wall. Go to www.masonrytechnology.com and click on the drawing of “Cavity Vent” to see more information about this system.

Obama could save money with masonry

2008-12-08T12:49:00.002-07:00

Here's a bit of advice for President-elect Obama: Require that all public buildings and schools be built with load bearing masonry. The reduction in energy consumption and reduction in all lifecycle costs will save a lot of taxpayer money. Additionally, the more metal you take out of the buildings, the better the wifi and cell phone reception.
Obama announced on Saturday that he wants to create jobs by making public buildings more energy-efficient, repairing roads and bridges, modernizing schools, increasing broadband access and ensuring that health care professionals have access to the latest technology.

The market's not completely dead

2008-12-05T15:30:00.001-07:00

There is work out there for masons in Colorado. The dire accounts of the construction market are only telling part of the story. Colorado has not been hit as hard as the rest of the nation, and many companies are hard at work. For example:
Aurora Public Schools will kick- start five building projects next spring, including a high school and primary-middle school campus.
The district on Thursday released a construction schedule for the $215 million bond program approved by voters in November.
The bond allows for about $201 million for building improvements and nearly $14 million for technology. Construction will be completed by 2013.

new technolgy vs masonry

2008-12-03T16:28:00.002-07:00

Not to slam the advertising industry, but sometimes their concepts get silly.
Take, for example, the predictions about the new i-phone:
"Amazon on i-phone: Death by camera to Brick-and-Mortar stores"
As an avid photographer, I've used some pretty rugged cameras. Never used one yet that could stand up to a brick, let alone a whole building. :)

Stating the obvious

2008-12-01T12:36:00.002-07:00

More official reports have come out today, officially declaring that the US economy is in a recession and that construction spending has declined.
Thanks for the information we all already know, because we are experiencing it.
A recession, by any other name, would stink as bad.
The official announcement that stinks even worse, is the report that the commercial market is about to experience a mortgage crisis of its own, with the same causes as the residential mortgage crisis. Hotels, shopping malls and office buildings going dark because the owners can't pay the new bank rate on their mortgage or can't re-fi the 5 year financing. For example, the Associated Press is reporting "Chicago-based General Growth Properties, the nation's second-largest shopping mall owner, said late Sunday it is getting a two-week extension on $900 million in debt scheduled to come due last week as the company works to stave off bankruptcy and negotiate longer-term extensions with lenders.
Aren't roller coasters supposed to go up once in a while?

Masons making a difference

2008-11-26T08:06:00.001-07:00

Gerald Gallegos, Founder and CEO of The Gallegos Corporation, is committed to helping those in our communities who are less fortunate. With the financial crisis making headlines daily, Gerald wanted to make a difference in our communities…. and challenged his employees to step up and make someone’s life better this holiday season.
Many of the area food banks are experiencing low inventory and many family budgets are stretched to the maximum. “Because we have been blessed with much over the past years, we would like to take this opportunity to give back to our communities who are in need at this difficult time,” Gerald said. He went on to ask each of his employees—numbering near 500 across Colorado, Montana and Idaho—contribute cash or food. He will then match any and all donations, which will then be distributed in the communities where we live and work.
Food banks have specifically requested tuna, canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce, canned fruit and diapers. It is Gerald’s hope that by working together, the company can make a significant impact not only this holiday season, but through the winter season.
“Many families are really struggling right now, and if we can make a positive impact, I will be pleased,” Gerald said. “I believe my employees will rally together and make a difference. In addition, I challenge other local contractors to make a difference, and get their employees involved.”
The companywide food drive will take place between December 1 and December 17. Each office will donate the food and/or gift cards to local organizations of their choice. Vail will be donating to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Edwards, Aspen to Lift Up in Glenwood and Denver to Food Bank of the Rockies.

News about one of our members

2008-11-24T16:30:00.001-07:00

The Eagle Valley Home Builders Association (EVHBA) has recognized The Gallegos Corporation’s distinctive craftsmanship for its work on the Arrabelle at Vail Square. The company was awarded three BEAM Gold Awards, one each for Masonry, Plaster and Marble/Granite/Tile. This Old World style Bavarian hotel is truly a masterpiece that the company was pleased to be involved with.
“This project was truly unique and a good test of our skills. The timeline was tight and the scope of the project was impressive,” said Jake Jacobson, the Masonry Division President. “It is not often we get to work on a project that encompasses so many of our talents. I am happy that all of our crews were recognized for their hard work.”
The masonry portion of this project was considerable and included more than 10,500 cast stone pieces, including window and door surrounds, balcony fascias and balustrades. Pieces weighed up to 3000 pounds, requiring special handling techniques. TGC also designed and engineered the anchor system for the cast stone attachment.
There are 125,000 square feet of interlocking concrete pavers, 30,000 square feet of Rubble Limestone veener and 25,000 feet of CMU blocks installed. In addition, The Gallegos Corporation installed numerous fireplace surrounds and limestone columns in the elegant Centre V Restaurant.
The plaster and stucco are no less impressive and showcase many high-end finishes that set the Arrabelle apart from other properties. The exterior stucco has 33 facades with intricate details that give each a character of its own. Finishes range from a simple sand float to a combed freestyle finish to a light spray texture, and display 26 different colors. The common areas and spa were finished with integrally colored Diamond Plaster, and the restaurant has cathedral ceilings finished in true Venetian Plaster.
TGC also installed marble, granite and tile in all of the common areas including the restaurant, lobby, lobby restrooms, lobby great room, spa, nail salon, elevator lobbies, roof top pool and dressing rooms, skier services and meeting room restrooms. Many of the granite slabs were hand selected for this project in Italy, and more than 50 different types of tile were used with one-of-a-kind custom mosaics made specifically for this job.
The project demanded an exceptionally high level of skill and quality. Delicate materials, numerous radius designs, marriage of countless materials, and tight tolerances brought out the best in Gallegos’ craftsmen.
“It was good to be recognized on such an important job for The Gallegos Corporation, a lot of people put weeks and months of hard work into this, so it feels pretty good showing off the end product,” said Jordan Vasbinder, Marble/Granite/Tile Project Manager.
The Gallegos Corporation was founded in 1970 by Gerald G. Gallegos as a specialty stone masonry company. Since that time, TGC has expanded trades and now also specializes in distinctive residential and commercial projects including quality masonry, plaster/stucco, concrete, art rock, marble/granite work and stone sales.

The Gallegos Corporation is headquartered in Vail, Colorado and has offices in Denver, Telluride, Aspen, Colorado; Sun Valley, Idaho, as well as Bozeman, Montana.

Making progress

2008-11-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

The first module of the Focus Four safety curriculum and booklet has been submitted to OSHA for review. This first section focuses on electrical hazards on the masonry jobsite. Additional modules are being developed to address Struck by/Caught between, and Falls/Scaffolding. The entire curriculum and booklet are slated for completion and translation into Spanish by early 2009. The Focus Four Safety Program will be presented for free to all masons and hod carriers across Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho in Spring & Summer of 2009. The Focus Four Safety Program is made possible through a $250,000 grant from OSHA’s Susan Harwood Foundation.

Load Bearing Masonry belongs in Denver

2008-11-14T12:56:00.001-07:00

We have seen some details normally reserved for high seismic zones out west creep into some of our local designs. In earthquake-prone areas, the building codes actually require bond beams and reinforcement every 4' on center, as a minimum. Some engineers mistakenly use these details in Denver, even though we have a low seismic risk. Contact RMMI if you have concerns about a job's structural requirements. We can't value engineer the entire project, but could check a few wall sections to make sure it isn't over-designed. Load bearing masonry works well in Denver and financially protects you from the volatility of the steel market. It's green too.

From Pinnacol

2008-11-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

The direct costs of workplace accidents are just the tip of the iceberg. Businesses and their employees can be hit hard by the indirect costs of an accident, which include:
· Time lost from work by the injured employeeLoss in earning power
· Economic loss to the injured worker’s family
· Lost time by fellow workers
· Cost of training a new person
· Replacement or repair of damaged tools and equipment
· Time that damaged equipment or vehicles are out of service
· Products or work that are ruined
· Loss of production for the remainder of the day
· Spoilage of inventory from fire, water, chemical, explosives, or other causes
· Failure to fill orders
· Overhead costs while work is disrupted
· Unhappy customers
In short, workplace accidents can be far more costly than they initially appear. What’s the best way to control your costs? Prevent the injury in the first place.

Brick Chicks Geek out in Chicago

2008-11-03T16:19:00.001-07:00

The Brick Chicks were in Chicago for meetings with OSHA, and we had a few hours to kill before our flight back to Denver. We decide to hop the L to Wrigley Field - you can't go to Chicago without seeing it. So we go and we aren't impressed. It looks like masonry that got stucco'd over in grayish-white. Coors Field is much more attractive. Just as we're about to leave, we notice rooftop seating on the buildings across the street. We run over to take a closer look and see that one of the buildings is still in the renovation process. Understatement - the face of the building is still standing but the rest of the building is gone and they are building a new structure out of load bearing masonry. We geek out. We talked our way onto the job site and talked our way into the building next door to get a good look from the rooftop - not of Wrigley, but of the load bearing masonry construction. We snapped lots of photos with the cell phones. "Masonry Geek" written on our foreheads, no doubt.

What's good for the goose...

2008-10-22T08:51:00.002-06:00

I think it's very interesting that the state government can force employers to use the Federal system to verify if its employees are legal; but police departments, which are government agencies, aren't capable of doing the same thing.
In a story in the Denver Post today http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_10779098 the Aurora police claim they didn't know a man who killed three people was an illegal immigrant because he only had a slight accent and appeared to be "completely Americanized." If an employer used that standard to determine who was or was not legal, the ACLU would be all over them.
While employers face penalties if they don't check the status of their employees, the police are saying there is "no magic wand" to determine whether someone is in the U.S. illegally.
Seems like there ought to be one standard for all - either everyone has to check, or no one has to check.

Growth is caused by what????

2008-10-16T08:01:00.002-06:00

There's an activist in Jefferson County, Daniel Hayes, who has some interesting ideas about immigration. According to a story in today's Rocky Mountain News, Hayes believes that growth is caused by illegal immigrants building houses. I wonder if he's ever bothered to look at the statistics on residential construction companies in Colorado. Pulte Homes or Richmond American Homes may find it very interesting to learn that this man believes their companies are illegal immigrants. Of the 53 masonry subcontractor companies that are members of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, only one is owned by an immigrant - and he's a legal immigrant from England.
More to the point, Hayes needs to look at the factors that go into growth, and examine thoroughly whether or not it should really be stopped. He might look at the current mortgage- credit-bailout situation. Stopping growth stops the economy - that's called a recession, if not a depression.

Lifetime Masonry Achievement

2008-10-06T15:47:00.001-06:00

The Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute honored Dan Berich, founder of Berich Masonry Inc, with a Lifetime Achievement Award Oct. 3 during the McGraw-Hill Gold Hardhat Awards.
Berich is only the second person to ever receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from RMMI.
Berich began his masonry career during World War II. While he was a student at Denver’s South High School in 1943, his uncle Walt Oberg taught him bricklaying. Berich stuck with the career and built small residential projects during the 1950s. In the 1960s he switched from small residential to constructing load-bearing masonry apartment buildings.
Berich formalized his business as “Dan Berich, Inc” in 1971. The firm worked with some of the state’s biggest GC’s on high profile and private projects. Berich built 30 or 40 load-bearing masonry apartment buildings in Denver and Colorado Springs, including the 1,000-unit Speer Center apartments at 10th and Speer. Berich also built some of the area’s biggest retail projects, at least 40 King Soopers stores, the Focus on the Family headquarters, the Arapahoe County Youth Detention Center, Red Rocks Community College and the Aurora Criminal Justice Center.
Berich also helped form the Colorado Masonry Contractors Association, which became the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute in 1988, and served as its president in the 1960s.

Free Safety Training for Masons in Rocky Mtn Region

2008-10-03T15:08:00.000-06:00

We just received a $247,863 grant from OSHA’s Susan Harwood Foundation to conduct safety training in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The local nonprofit trade association is among 36 organizations nationwide awarded Occupational Safety and Health Administration Susan Harwood Training grants.
The grant will allow RMMI to provide free safety training to employees of masonry contractors, brick and block manufacturers and masonry suppliers in the four-state service region which encompasses approximately 348,000 square miles.
In 2006, the region had a nonfatal worker injury rate 42% higher than the national average. The region had 8.4 incidents per 100 workers, as compared to the national incident rate of 5.9 per 100 workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.
During a one-year period from October 2006 to September 2007, OSHA issued 8,053 citations nationally to special trade contractors primarily engaged in masonry work. Two of the most frequently cited OSHA standards were “Duty to have Fall Protection” and “Training Requirements.” During that same period, in the service region for this grant, 103 citations were issued to special trade contractors. Scaffolds, specifically fall protection, accounted for more than 60% of these citations.
The free RMMI safety training program will be presented in English and Spanish, and will be accompanied by a safety training booklet illustrated with pictograms. The training locations and dates will be released in January.

Best Apprentices win Competition

2008-09-26T16:15:00.000-06:00

The Rocky Mountain Masonry Foundation awarded two scholarships on Sept. 26 to the winners of the Masonry Apprentice Bricklaying Competition at Front Range Community College. Kent Kosakewich (beginner division) and Chris Dernocoeur (advanced division) were selected as the best apprentice masons in their divisions at the FRCC Masonry Arts program. Working from blueprints, the competitors had one hour to build a masonry structure. Their work was judged on height, level, plumb, neatness, correct design, square and range, manipulation, uniform joints, speed and safety practices. The two apprentices received scholarships to FRCC, tools, and cash prizes. The competition was judged by Dale Martinez from JVS Masonry, Wayne Grosvenor from Grosvenor Masonry, and Ray McDermott from Selway Masonry.

Funds for the scholarships were raised through the foundation’s annual 5K run. The 2008 Run Around the Block 5k was held Sept. 7 at Sloan’s Lake. In addition to the scholarships, funds raised at the annual 5K run were also used to purchase masonry textbooks for architecture and engineering students at the University of Wyoming.

Immigration reform group

2008-09-25T11:45:00.002-06:00

Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together is putting pressure on the feds to keep immigration reform in the spotlight, and get something done.
This is an interesting group. http://www.matt.org/english/index.html
Not sure if they will accomplish what they aim to, but enough Colorado Business leaders have bought into it that they met Gov. Ritter on the steps of the State Capitol for a press conference.
Regardless of what you think about the bailout, when the economy recovers we will need legal workers to move things forward.

Thornton takes the LEED

2008-09-24T09:25:00.002-06:00

Last night a Denver suburb, the city of Thornton, officially adopted a commercial design ordinance which requires that commercial structures be primarily brick, block, or other durable facade. This ordinance took two years of negotiations and conversations between city council and city planners to develop, and is primarily aimed at developments of 15 acres or more.
You can read the ordinance at:
http://www.cityofthornton.net/cclk/Council/2008/092308/8D.pdf
This is a well-done ordinance which gives the city control over the appearance of its commercial developments and addresses the need for responsible, sustainable development.

Progress???

2008-09-19T10:19:00.001-06:00

ICE arrested 59 illegal immigrants in Colorado over the past four days:
Federal agents caught 30 fugitives in 14 Colorado cities who refused to leave the country after being ordered to do so or who failed to show up for their immigration hearings.
ICE agents arrested 29 additional people they encountered during the fugitive sweep on other immigration violations, according to the agency.
Great!
11,999,941 to go

precedent in immigration battle

2008-09-18T08:10:00.001-06:00

A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld an Arizona law that penalizes businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants and requires them to verify the employment status of their workers.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision rejected a challenge by business and civil rights groups that contend that the law infringes on federal immigration powers.

I wonder what things would look like if the residential construction market were strong and US was in desperate need of workers who have a work ethic and are willing to do hard labor.

Construction of new homes and apartments fell to its weakest pace in 17 years in August, far more than expected, but lower mortgage rates and tax credits have given builders some glimmer of hope of a possible rebound.
Housing construction dropped 6.2 percent last month, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday, far larger than the 1.6 percent decline analysts had been expecting.
It was the slowest building pace since January 1991, but that should help clear out bloated inventories of unsold homes. Building activity is on track to slide below the 1 million mark for the year, the first time that has happened in more than six decades.

Some people don't get it

2008-09-03T07:52:00.001-06:00

We've blogged about this before. This is not the appropriate use for bricks.

DENVER (AP) - Denver police say they found rocks, bricks and sticks stashed around the city that may have been placed there by people planning violence during the Democratic National Convention.

ICE intensifying its raids again

2008-08-27T10:42:00.002-06:00

Federal immigration officials vowed Aug. 22 to intensify efforts to track down illegal immigrants after scrapping a trial "self-deportation" program that attracted only eight volunteers.
Though the 2 1/2-week effort produced few volunteer deportees among illegal immigrants who are under court orders to leave the country, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said his agency will arrest more of them this year than last - and still more next year as more agents are assigned.
Yesterday ICE raided a manufacturing plant in Mississippi and detained 595 workers from Brazil, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and Peru. The investigation into the workers had apparently been underway for more than a year, after ICE was tipped off by a union official connected to the Howard Industries plant. Of the 595 workers, about 475 were sent to an ICE processing facility, about 20 minors were sent to a refugee facility and the other 100 were fitted with electronic monitoring bracelets and released.

don't bother trying to figure it out

2008-08-26T09:14:00.002-06:00

Want to know what's going on with the housing market? Well, try making sense of three articles on the business section of the DenverPost online:

NEW YORK—A widely watched index released Tuesday showed home prices dropping by the sharpest rate ever in the second quarter, but the data for June suggest the severity of the housing slump may be waning.

WASHINGTON—Sales of new homes posted an unexpected gain in July as heavily discounted properties enticed cautious house hunters to become home buyers.
The Commerce Department reported that sales of new single-family homes rose by 2.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 515,000 units, the most since April.

WASHINGTON — Home resales rose in July, surpassing expectations, as buyers snapped up deeply discounted properties in parts of the country hit hardest by the housing bust.
However, the number of unsold properties hit an all-time high, the latest indication that the worst housing slump in decades is far from over. Prices nationwide are not expected to hit bottom until early next year.
The National Association of Realtors reported Monday that sales rose 3.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5 million units, up from June's downwardly revised rate of 4.85 million units. Sales had been expected to rise by 1.6 percent, according to economists surveyed by Thomson/IFR.

New housing statistics

2008-08-19T08:18:00.000-06:00

The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential
construction statistics for July 2008:
BUILDING PERMITS
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 937,000.
This is 17.7 percent (±1.3%) below the revised June rate of 1,138,000 and is 32.4 percent (±1.5%) below the revised July 2007
estimate of 1,386,000.
Single-family authorizations in July were at a rate of 584,000; this is 5.2 percent (±1.4%) below the June figure of 616,000.
Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 318,000 in July.
HOUSING STARTS
Privately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 965,000. This is 11.0 percent (±9.0%) below the
revised June estimate of 1,084,000 and is 29.6 percent (±5.1%) below the revised July 2007 rate of 1,371,000.
Single-family housing starts in July were at a rate of 641,000; this is 2.9 percent (±10.9%)* below the June figure of 660,000. The
July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 309,000.
HOUSING COMPLETIONS
Privately-owned housing completions in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,035,000. This is 8.7 percent (±10.0%)*
below the revised June estimate of 1,134,000 and is 31.7 percent (±6.6%) below the revised July 2007 rate of 1,515,000.
Single-family housing completions in July were at a rate of 791,000; this is 7.2 percent (±9.3%)* below the June figure of 852,000.
The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 229,000.

OSHA's working on weekends

2008-08-14T09:42:00.000-06:00

There is a push on to conduct as many inspections as possible before OSHA’s fiscal year ends on September 30th. Both Area Offices here in Colorado have put their compliance teams on split schedules so they are working seven days a week. The teams working Saturday and Sunday are simply driving around Colorado looking for job sites with workers present so they can stop and conduct inspections. Mike Rosser from Corporate Safety Services warns: If you have employees working weekends, we cannot have a “OSHA’s not working today” attitude. Let all of your foremen/supervisors know of this issue.

Come run with us

2008-08-12T08:25:00.002-06:00

Things have been very busy at the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute. In the past two weeks we've been through our three-year strategic planning process, held a Clay Shoot, had some very prestigious announcements about some of our member companies, and are preparing to hold our second annual Run Around the Block 5k.
Colorado Construction magazine named RMMI member companies C. Morgen Masonry and Eatherton Masonry the no. 1 and 2 Masonry Subcontractors in Colorado. Colorado Biz magazine named RMMI member company (and workers comp provider) Pinnacol Assurance the no. 2 best large company to work for in Colorado. We're very proud of these members, who represent the quality of all our member companies.
Coming up on Sunday, Sept. 7, the Run Around the Block 5k promises to be even better than last year. The race will be at Sloan's Lake in Denver, on a very flat course. The 20' in elevation change over the entire 3 miles is basically attributed to two bridges over streams that enter the lake. The race is open to everyone! Register at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1609012

Denver is bright spot in dark Residential Market

2008-07-29T14:03:00.002-06:00

According to residential sales data, Denver is in better shape than most of the country when it comes to home sales. Home prices in metro Denver fell 4.8 percent between May 2007 and May 2008, but nationwide the average was a 15.8 percent price drop over the same time period. Maybe things here aren't as bad as they seem. According to the the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city index, home prices in Denver actually increased by 1 percent between March and May of this year. The experts are saying that may indicate that a turn-around is about to start in Denver's housing market.

News from One of our Members - Gallegos Corp

2008-07-28T08:50:00.001-06:00

The Gallegos Corporation has restructured its management team with the retirement of Glen Gallegos, and is pleased to announce the promotion of Gary Woodworth to Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Woodworth to President of the Mountain Plaster/Stucco division and the hiring of Eric Pate as President of the Marble/Granite division. The three bring a wealth of experience to their new positions.
Gary has been with the company for 21 years and brings knowledge and expertise to his new position. Gary started with TGC in 1987 as President of the Plaster/Stucco and soon thereafter also took over the Marble/Granite division. “I have been given amazing opportunities at The Gallegos Corporation over the years,” Gary said. “I am a little bit sad to leave the two divisions that have grown along with me at the company but I am excited about the new challenges in this role.”
Eric Pate, came to The Gallegos Corporation from Old World Stone in Seattle, Washington, where he was the CEO for four years. His experience ensures a smooth transition as he has taken over as President of the Marble/Granite Division. He has a deep understanding of all facets of marble and granite fabrication and installation. “I am really excited to take over the Marble/Granite division at The Gallegos Corporation,” Eric said. “I came to The Gallegos Corporation because they are a family business and people have been here a long time, that shows consistency.”
Jamie Woodworth has been with The Gallegos Corporation for 12 years, and has been promoted to President of the Plaster/Stucco division. Over the years, Jamie has taken classes to stay up-to-date on stucco and plaster techniques, especially those relevant to the high-end finishes. Jamie has been our field operations manager and has proven himself an asset. “Over the years I have worked on stunning projects with The Gallegos Corporation, and proud to be part of this company. I am pleased to be able to take my skills to a new level,” Jamie said.

Save Your Energy

2008-07-24T11:29:00.001-06:00

As a building material, masonry saves energy. Masonry’s mass prevents extreme outside temperatures from affecting temperatures on the inside. This process is sometimes referred to as “thermal lag.” Compared to other materials, an insulated masonry cavity wall resists heat gain more than 50 times better than double-reflective glass, and nine times better than an insulated metal sandwich panel wall.
Also, because it is a natural material, masonry does not expel any toxic substances or volatile organic compounds into the air. Nor does it ever require the application of any potentially toxic paints or coatings during its lifetime.
Perhaps masonry’s greatest contribution to the environment, however, is its durability. The life span of a masonry structure can be over a thousand years if designed and constructed properly. Even the most conservative estimates of masonry's life expectancy is 60 years or more. Because of its longevity, masonry is typically the last material in a building to require recycling.
In comparison, newer building materials like synthetic stucco, also known as EIFS, have a poor durability record. These can encounter problems like moisture intrusion, which rots the wood sheathing, and frequent damage from golf balls, woodpeckers, and even fists. That means more of these new materials will find their way to the landfills in our lifetime.

How big should the air gap be in a cavity wall?

2008-07-23T08:42:00.001-06:00

Air gaps should be:
1" minimum
2" preferred
4" maximum
The size of the air gap is measured from the back side of the brick to the facing edge of the sheathing or structural wall behind the veneer.
If your wall has a big air gap, the ties that anchor the veneer in place tend to buckle when the wind pushes the exposed veneer with a lateral load. You can tolerate a wider air gap if you use stronger brick ties. You can also simply put in more brick ties or you can make the air gap smaller.
If you are building a fence that is exposed to weather on both sides, you are building a “composite wall” not a “cavity wall”. You should sandwich the brick directly to the CMU with no air gap at all. If you are constructing the wall of a building with an inside face and an outside face, it should have an air gap, flashing and weep holes to direct moisture to the outside face of the wall.

Stick with masonry

2008-07-21T13:15:00.000-06:00

Steel prices from May to June grew for the eighth consecutive month, with a significant increase of 8.1%, according to the Producer Price Index (PPI). (Click on graph to enlarge.)
Asphalt prices also had a sharp increase, with a 6.7% change. Lumber prices rose slightly, by 0.9% from May to June. Concrete prices increased minimally as well, with a 0.7% percent change.
During the last year, steel prices have increased 30.4%, asphalt prices have grown 17%, and concrete prices by 3.8%. Lumber prices have declined by 3.6%.

Construction materials price hikes, except masonry

2008-07-18T11:06:00.003-06:00

The price of masonry has remained relatively stable in an economy where most construction materials are going through the roof. While masonry price percent increases are still in the single digits, Steel and other materials are seeing triple digit percent increases. Makes all the more sense to the bottom line to build with Load Bearing Masonry and get the steel and wood out of the buildings.
Take a look at this article on construction costs from today's Denver Post:
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9916191

"Excerpt from a guest column on colorado biz

2008-07-17T08:56:00.001-06:00

Similarly, if we are experiencing labor shortages and a dwindling rural working class, are we ready to move from a so-called immigration crisis to an opportunity for a more inclusive and diverse working community? What can we learn from the struggles and division of environmental movement to inform our decision about immigration?The backlash against undocumented immigrants is coming from all sides. First, parts of the mainstream population claim that in their desperate quest to escape poverty, these undocumented immigrants depress wages for the rest of the population. However, the federal government and a complicit market sector have failed to increase our minimum wage for more than a decade. Second, some claim that an open border policy will lead to the spread of once-controlled diseases.But if the United States has the best medical system in the world, as some would have us believe, it could surely cope with such diseases. Third, an influx of undocumented immigrants could result in overcrowding and more rapid resource depletion. Our society’s relentless consumption of nonrenewable resources, fossil fuels, and the pursuit of larger homes has been responsible for the loss of land to development.Perhaps the most interesting argument against illegal immigration is a cultural one. It is a war over our core values and our vision of the future. However, there is absolutely nothing new about this situation. Many other undocumented immigrant groups from Eastern Europeans to Chinese and Jews, immigrated, endured discrimination by this country, and eventually were shown to provide tremendous benefit to this society.The business community should stop its hypocritical approach of seeking and hiring cheap labor, while vilifying and condemning those who provide it. The well-known reporter Elmer Davis once said: "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."

How big should the air gap be in a cavity wall?

2008-07-14T16:52:00.000-06:00

Lots of Legals

2008-07-11T08:47:00.002-06:00

The government is reporting that the number of Mexican-born people who became U.S. Citizens last year increased by 50 percent over the previous year. Perhaps some of the initiatives against illegal immigration and for legal application for citizenship are working. Last year, 122,000 Mexicans became U.S. Citizens. Two years ago only 84,000 Mexicans became U.S. citizens.

Advice from the insurance company

2008-07-10T08:57:00.001-06:00

The first 24 hours following a workplace accident are critical to your injured employee and to you. What you, as an employer, do during this period can help reduce your workers’ compensation claims costs and, most importantly, help prevent the accident from happening again.
One of the key tasks during this initial 24-hour period is to try to determine the cause of the accident so you can institute loss prevention measures, if necessary. A thorough accident investigation will show not only what happened and how it happened, but also why it happened.

Accident Investigation
The first step—and a fundamental part of the accident investigation process—is data collection. Here are the elements of a thorough accident investigation:
Interview anyone who witnessed the accident.
Take a statement from the injured worker. Have the worker write down what happened and sign and date the statement.
Take photos of the accident scene as soon as possible. If the injury involved machinery, you may need to shut it down to preserve evidence.
Gather any equipment specifications and manuals.
Gather applicable safety rules and training records.
As part of your investigation, try to determine if one or more persons outside your company caused or contributed to the accident. If so, get their names and the name of their employer if they were working when the accident occurred. Call Pinnacol Assurance with the information immediately. We may need to send an investigator to the accident site to gather evidence that can help us recover some or all of our claims payments from the responsible party.

Root Cause Analysis
The key to preventing the same accident from occurring again is to determine the root cause of the accident. By conducting a thorough analysis of the data collected, employers will be able to move beyond the immediate event or condition that caused the accident to the event or condition that, if corrected, will prevent a recurrence.
Following are steps for conducting a root cause analysis:
Review photos of the accident scene.
Read witness statements.
Identify trends (e.g., is there a pattern of the same type of accident involving the same piece of machinery).
Examine the direct (immediate event or condition that causes the accident) and contributing (event or condition that collectively increased the likelihood of the accident) causes of the accident.
Drill down to the root cause. You may determine that the direct cause of the accident was the failure of a piece of equipment. But to get to the root cause, ask yourself if there is something you could have done differently to prevent that failure.

Taking Corrective Action
Once you have investigated and analyzed the accident, you’re ready to take corrective action. Ask yourself what can be changed to make things better. A good corrective action should prevent recurrence of the accident, be feasible, and not create new hazards or risks.

Job Losses Aren't Just in Construction

2008-07-09T08:25:00.003-06:00

An article in the Denver Post is asserting that the construction industry is making the unemployment situation worse. Interesting. What about the 600+ workers the airlines just announced they are dumping? Or the people who will lose their jobs when the Greeley Kmart closes? Or all the Starbucks employees who are losing their jobs as 600 Starbucks are closed across the nation. Or the 17,000 people Siemens is laying off? Somehow I don't think the residential construction industry delaying 36 residential construction projects is having any more impact on the unemployment situation than any other industry is having with its layoffs. It's the whole economy, not just one sector.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9821738

RMMI Director earns top certification

2008-07-01T08:11:00.000-06:00

Larisa LaBrant, Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, has earned the Certified Association Executive credential from the American Society of Association Executives. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry. Less than 5 percent of all association professionals have earned their CAE.
To earn the CAE credential, an applicant must have a minimum of 3 years experience in nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 75 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management, and pledge to uphold a code of ethics.
LaBrant has been with RMMI since 2005. In that time she has expanded RMMI’s services with a revamped certification program, revived apprentice program, doubled Lunch N Learn program and expanded communications and promotions activities. She has put the organization on solid financial ground and has a strategic plan in place to keep it growing strong.
The Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI) is a nonprofit trade association of more than 110 companies throughout Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The organization includes brick and concrete masonry manufacturers, stone producers, masonry contractors, suppliers and associates. RMMI offers technical assistance to architects, engineers and general contractors in addition to extensive professional training for masonry apprentices and professionals.

Keep the water out

2008-06-30T10:31:00.001-06:00

Concrete block, particularly lightweight concrete block, is not weather tight if you do not apply a water repellent coating to it. Water repellent coatings usually last between 2 and 10 years, depending upon the exposure of the building and the competence of the applicator. As a rule of thumb, penetrating water repellents last longer because they are not as prone to ultraviolet degradation as surface coatings are. I recommend Silane and Siloxane-based coatings because of this longevity.
If you want to read more about water repellent coatings for concrete block, go to the web site for the National Concrete Masonry Association at www.ncma.org Look for an icon labeled “E-Tek”. Click on this heading and it will take you to another web site where you can download technical articles. I suggest you download:
Tek Note 8-1A - Maintenance of Concrete Masonry Walls
Tek Note 19-1 - Water Repellents for Concrete Masonry Walls
My favorite flashing/weep system for single wythe walls is called Cavity Vent. It is a strip of corrugated plastic that you install at the base of the wall, where the block meets the foundation. I like the product because it is fast and easy to install and it does not deteriorate over time. Structural engineers like it because it does not interfere with rebar placement and it does not cause shear plane weakness at the base of the wall. Go to www.masonrytechnology.com and click on the drawing of “Cavity Vent” to see more information about this system.

So, what is really happening????

2008-06-25T08:51:00.004-06:00

The Denver Post is reporting that things are looking better in the residential market:
"Home prices in metro Denver rose in April from March, bucking a national trend of declining home values, according to a report Tuesday from the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices.
April's 0.8 percent monthly gain in metro Denver compares favorably with a 1.4 percent decline the index reported across 20 large metro areas that included Denver.
And it represents the first month- over-month gain in Denver captured in the index since August, about the same time the subprime-mortgage mess tanked credit markets."

But on a different floor of the same News building, the Rocky Mountain News is reporting that things are continuing to get worse:
"Sales of new homes tumbled for the sixth time in seven months in May while median prices kept plunging, underscoring the depth of the nation's housing woes.
The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new homes were sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 512,000 units in May, down 2.5 percent from the April level. The median price of a new home sold last month fell to $231,000, down 5.7 percent from a year ago.
The report on new home activity in May followed reports Tuesday that showed record home price drops in April, indicating the nation's housing slump is not only deepening but also widening to include previously untouched parts of the country."

Do Masons Float?

2008-06-20T14:15:00.001-06:00

We're about to send several raftfulls of masons down the Arkansas River. It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. They hit the river at 8 a.m. We should know soon thereafter if they sink like a brick.

My wall has a crack in it. Should I be concerned?

2008-06-17T15:57:00.000-06:00

That depends on where the crack is, and how it has been behaving. Some cracks are caused by simple masonry expansion or shrinkage and are normally not a cause for alarm. Other cracks, such as over a door or window opening, could lead to instability and can be very serious. Contact a structural engineer to help you out - especially if you have noticed the crack getting wider recently. Find out the cause of the crack before attempting any repairs.
The type of repair the engineer chooses depends on if the crack is active or dormant . Active cracks open and close with regular cycles of temperature, loads, or foundation movement. Either cure the source of the movement and repoint the crack with mortar, or use a flexible crack filler such as sealant. You can also cut in a new movement joint at a convenient location, and then repoint the original crack. Dormant cracks that have not moved in several years are usually safe to grind out and repoint with mortar.

Gas prices nail construction

2008-06-13T08:11:00.002-06:00

According to the labor department, the wholesale cost of building materials for new home construction rose 3.4 percent in April, over the same month last year. The primary cause for the price increase - the surge in oil prices. Prices have gone up for steel, aluminum, copper, concrete, asphalt and plumbing fixtures, among other materials. Pain at the pump is now pain at the jobsite. $140 a barrel oil is adding to damage done to the housing market by poor mortgage lending practices, a weak dollar and foreign investment in the credit market.
Hopefully the G8 finance ministers will do more than just talk about the soaring oil prices when they meet in Japan over the next two days.

Glimmer of Hope or Glint off an Iceberg?

2008-06-12T08:12:00.003-06:00

Apparently there's a small glimmer of hope that the residential market may be starting to turn. There was a tiny drop in the number of days that existing houses were on the market. Between January and May the average days a house sat on the market was 89. Last year during the same period, a house sat on the market for 100 days. This 11-day difference, according to a real estate broker, indicates that the market will improve in 2 years. Of course with a turning radius like this, it resembles the Titanic, which didn't turn in time and sank.
Here's a link to the Denver Post story about the housing market turn-around http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9556442

More residential market numbers

2008-06-11T07:54:00.002-06:00

The freefall in Denver's residential construction market is apparently continuing, with first quarter reports showing that there were 2,081 permits issued for homes, condos and apartment units. Same period last year there were 3,649 permits pulled, according to Home Builders Association data. The good news is that while the residential market is tanking, the commercial market is moving & shaking. Denver's commercial masons are all busy. Nobody's bored and the hoddies are all running hard. That's the yin and yang of the construction biz.

Here's what the Rocky had to say about the residential market:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/10/new-home-starts-hammered/

Hmmmm... and we have a worker shortage because why???

2008-06-10T10:37:00.002-06:00

Two articles in the same issue of the newspaper -

1. President Bush has signed an executive order requiring contractors and others who do business with the federal government to make sure their employees can legally work in the United States.

2. The FBI uses old technology and workers without enough training to do security checks on people applying for citizenship and other immigration benefits, a government audit found. The problems have led to a large backlog in name checks and are affecting people wanting to become naturalized or become legal residents, and those bringing in foreign workers for businesses, said the audit issued Monday by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine.

Help save a historic brick building damaged by tornado

2008-06-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

On May 22, 2008 northeastern Colorado was hit by several powerful tornadoes. The town worst hit, Windsor, is home to an historic 1899 flour mill. The mill, affectionately called the Windsor Mill, was placed on the 2002 Colorado’s Most Endangered Places List. CPI listed the mill at that time because the (now former) owner was running out of funds to continue upgrading and restoring the massive four-story brick and stacked lumber building. The damage caused by the tornado simply devastated the mill. The half of the building that is stacked lumber sustained limited visible damage. The brick half of the building lost the roof and all but the first floor. Pieces of the building lay strewn across Main Street into the weekend following the tornado.
Though most of the historic fabric was demolished on the brick portion of the mill, enough remains to cover the exterior wall in original brick. The current owner of the mill is still assessing her options and will hopefully choose to restore/reconstruct the beautiful and significant Windsor Mill. To offer letters of support or advice, please address all correspondence to Cynthia Torp, via Jonas Landes. Jonas can be e-mailed at jlandes@coloradopreservation.org

Masonry city

2008-06-09T08:22:00.003-06:00

I do a lot of walking and as I'm going around Denver I see a lot of buildings under construction. Despite the economy, a lot of people are building and a lot of people are building with masonry. This weekend I saw a 2-story house at 44th and Wolff that is being veneered with brick, a strip mall on Sheridan being constructed of block and brick, and an office building being constructed with masonry. In between were miles of neighborhoods of brick homes, banks and office buildings of brick and block, and masonry commercial structures of all kinds. I think in the entire 34 miles I walked this weekend (training walk for a fund-raising event), I did not go a single block without seeing a masonry building. This town has class.

Proof of what a masonry ordinance can do

2008-06-06T08:20:00.002-06:00

Even in this economy, communities built with a masonry ordinance in place fair better than those that don't. Here's proof - While home values are crashing throughout Denver and homeowners are finding themselves upside down, the homes built in Lowry are increasing in value. Lowry is in Aurora where they adopted a masonry ordinance in 2003.
Here's an excerpt from a Rocky Mountain News article about the Lowry development:
"Homes at Lowry have increased in value far more than the Denver area as a whole, and that includes Cherry Creek, Congress Park, Hilltop, Montclair and Washington Park, according to a report released Thursday by the Genesis Group.
The Lowry Redevelopment Authority hired Genesis, a housing research firm, to do an analysis as the authority is launching its final residential phase, the 600-home EastPark at Lowry Boulevard and Yosemite Street.
Genesis Group analyzed initial and subsequent resale prices for detached and attached homes at Lowry from 2000 to 2007 and found that homes on the former Air Force base appreciated at an average of 8 percent per year.
Last year, Lowry homes rose on average by 2.6 percent, while the overall metro area lost 0.5 percent in value, according to Mike Rinner of the Genesis Group.

read the entire article at http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/05/lowry-homes-enjoy-top-price-gains/

Homebuilder pulling out of Colorado

2008-06-04T09:46:00.002-06:00

As the residential market continues to face the double-whammy of foreclosures and overstock of new homes, things are looking bleaker for the homebuilders. While many are slashing prices and dumping houses at drastically reduced rates, one homebuilder has decided to leave the Colorado market entirely. Beazer Homes, which owns Sanford Homes, has built developments in many of the Denver suburbs. But no more. Their love affair with Colorado's formerly open farm fields is over.
Here's the Rocky Mountain News article about it.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/03/beazer-homes-pulling-out-of-state/

Affordable Housing Week in Denver is June 1-7

2008-05-30T09:02:00.002-06:00

June 1-7, is designed to highlight local programs that support affordable housing in Denver and its surrounding areas. http://www.enterprisecommunity.org/local_work/denver/affordable_housing_week2008.asp
Monday, June 2
10:00 am – 1:00 pm: City of Denver Housing FairWellington Webb Building, 201 West Colfax, DenverDescription: Presented by, City and County of Denver. During this event a variety of affordable housing developers, owners and service providers will be available to talk about housing opportunities in Denver.For more information contact: Stephanie Inderwiesen
Noon – 8:00 pm: Housing Justice! SummitRegis University, DenverDescription: The Housing Justice! Summit will convene 250 interfaith community leaders from around the state, with the goal of building awareness of ways to address the needs of those most vulnerable in all our communities and creating healthier, more balanced and inclusive communities.For more information contact: Jackie Hahn
6:30 pm: Kick Off Reception for Lakewood Poster DisplayCivic Center South, 480 S Allison Parkway, Lakewood Description: Lakewood Housing Authority will be hosting a reception to kick off a photo and poster display featuring Affordable Housing Week poster entries from children living in LHA properties.For more information contact: Sabrina Pierre-Louis
Tuesday, June 3
11:30 am – 1:00pm: The Housing LandscapePPA Event Center, 2105 Decatur Street, Denver Description: Join CHFA and the Division of Housing for a discussion of key topics including: federal funding for affordable housing; green initiatives in affordable housing; foreclosure prevention at the federal, state, and local levels; and CHFA loan product updates. For more information contact: Ryan McMaken
Wednesday, June 4
7:30 am – 9:00 am: Affordable Housing: Best Practices in Urban EnvironmentsMarriott City Center, 1701 California Street, Denver Description: Presented by Downtown Denver Partnership, and the Denver Office of Economic Development, Tony M. Salazar, President of West Coast Operations for McCormick Baron Salazar will be the featured presenter. Salazar has been instrumental in developing over 4,000 homes in mixed-income and mixed use developments in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and San Francisco.For more information contact: Brian Phetteplace
9:00 am – 1:00 pm: Buying HUD Homes – a Tutorial4300 E. Warren Road, Denver Description: Presented by, Denver Board of REALTORS®. Realtors are invited to participate in this special affordable housing HERO class on purchasing HUD homes. Participants will be eligible for three continuing education credit hours. For more information contact: Chantel Babb
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: HUD Open House1670 Broadway, 25th Floor, Denver Description: Presented by, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Learn more about HUD’s programs and products and meet the local HUD team at their Open House.For more information contact: Linda Cluck
Thursday, June 5
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Hard Hat Site Tour702 Lowell Boulevard, Denver Description: Join Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver for an insider's look at the sustainable building practices and energy-efficient features that are incorporated into every local Habitat home. Habitat homeowners save hundreds of dollars each year in utility costs due to these energy-efficiency upgrades. For more information contact: Robyn Burns
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm: The Denver Project Fundraising PerformanceCurious Theatre, 1080 Acoma Street, DenverDescription: Join Mercy Housing Colorado for a special presentation of the Curious Theatre’s The Denver Project, a rich portrait of those living on the city’s margin that breaks the bounds of traditional theatre, fusing poetry and theatre, politics and choreography. For more information contact: Kurt Kaczor
Friday, June 6
8:00 am – 9:30 am: Housing Stars Awards BreakfastHilton Garden Inn, 1400 Welton Street, Denver Description: Presented by Enterprise, the Housing Stars awards recognize the institutions and individuals who make affordable housing possible in Denver. Award categories include Leader, Volunteer, Resident and Project of the Year. The winner of the annual children’s poster contest is also recognized during this event. For more information contact: Christopher Young
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Bowling Tournament “Housing Strikes Back” benefiting Housing Colorado!Falcon Rock and Bowl, 3295 S. Broadway, Englewood Description: Presented by, Housing Old Guys (HOGs) and Dames in Support of Housing (DISHES). Shake the dust off those old bowling shoes, press that bowling shirt that’s been hanging in the closet and feed your inner Big Lebowski by joining in a bowling tournament to raise funds for Housing Colorado! – and have fun in the process! For more information contact: Jim Mercado

There's sustainablilty and durability for you

2008-05-29T07:22:00.003-06:00

Archaeologists in Sinai near the Palestinian border have recently let the world know that they have a new find. A 3,000 year old fort made out of mud bricks. Who says masonry isn't a sustainable, durable material? The Egyptians certainly knew their architectural detailing and structural engineering to make their masonry buildings last so long. Here it is 3,000 years later, and the 550 yard by 275 yard fort with 13-foot tall towers is still standing.

It's rainy today, photograph your masonry walls

2008-05-27T07:55:00.000-06:00

Masonry walls are amazingly resistant to the ravages of time. They do not fade, rust, rot or burn. Brick walls never need repainting, although concrete block ones
need to have the water repellent coating renewed from time to time. The number one enemy of masonry in Colorado is water, coupled with our climate where the temperature often drops below freezing. When water freezes, it expands 9%. This expansion can crack even the sturdiest construction. We have over 150 freeze-thaw cycles a year in Denver. If a brick is saturated when the temperature dips below 32 degrees, this expansion causes hairline cracks that can lead to more significant problems down the road. My best advice is to keep your masonry dry. Make sure the gutters and downspouts are repaired so they can quickly flush water away from the wall. Verify that the parapet caps and the window sills are firm and tight and shed water well. The National Trust for Historic Preservation suggests that you take photographs of your building once a year--about 2 to 4 hours after a rain storm.
These annual photographs will let you compare the condition of the building from year to year. If you see any puddles at the base of the building it means that you should re-grade your landscaping or re-slope the sidewalk. If you see big wet patches on the wall, this indicates that water is getting into the wall instead of being shed away. This greatly increases the likelihood that your wall will be wet one night when it freezes. You are likely to see these wet spots under window sills, under parapet caps and behind downspouts. If you suspect that the joints in a particular area of the wall are damaged, take a key and run it along a horizontal mortar joint, pressing firmly. If little flakes of white mortar pop off the wall, your mortar joints probably need repointing. You do not have to repoint the entire wall—just the damaged portion.

Time to Sponsor the 5K

2008-05-20T10:35:00.006-06:00

It’s time to sign up to sponsor RMMF’s Run Around the Block 5k. Sponsorships range from $2,500 for title sponsor down to $250 for a variety of small categories. This is the big event for getting your company name in front of the public and RMMI members while raising funds for apprentice programs.
Click on www.rmmi.org to link to the sponsorship form. For more info, email info@rmmi.org

Bricklayer500 notices Masons speak Spanish

2008-05-19T09:55:00.002-06:00

After all these years, the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 has finally noticed that some masons and tenders speak Spanish. This year the rules and competition wall drawing is available in Spanish. They are buried a bit on the competition's Web site, but they are accessible at www.smbl500.com/documents/2008_bl500_rules_spanish.pdf and www.smbl500.com/documents/2008_wall_drawing_spanish.pdf

The rules have also been revised for the Bricklayer500 this year, with a new brick deduction formula for quality infractions. The new rules and wall diagram in English are posted at www.specmixbricklayer500.com

The Denver regional Bricklayer500 competition will be Saturday, Sept. 7 at the usual place

New Home Construction on the Rise

2008-05-16T11:10:00.001-06:00

The Associated Press is reporting new home construction has increased. Here's part of the story

WASHINGTON - Construction of new homes posted the biggest increase in more than two years in April. While it was a rare spot of good news for the housing market, analysts said it’s far too soon to declare an end to the prolonged slump.
The Commerce Department reported Friday that housing construction rose by 8.2 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.03 million units. Building of single-family homes continued to weaken, however. The growth came from a big jump in apartment construction.
Analysts predicted the surprising rebound in April would be temporary given the headwinds builders are still confronting, from slumping sales to soaring home foreclosures.

A bit of history

2008-05-16T08:39:00.000-06:00

Dating back to about 4,000 BC, the first masonry arch of sun-baked brick was constructed in the ancient city of Ur, located in what was then Mesopotamia.
One of the great engineering feats of all time was the stone masonry structure known as Stonehenge. Stretching the concept of “unit” masonry, Britain’s Stonehenge was constructed over 4,000 years ago of 80 bluestones weighing 4 tons each and dozens of giant sarsen stones weighing as much as 50 tons each. Modern studies suggest that at least 600 men were needed to transport just one giant stone from its source to the temple site.
The famous Great Wall of China is possibly the greatest example of masonry’s impact on history. Constructed around 210 BC, it stretched for 1,400 miles and contained 3,873,000,000 brick. Durable and resilient, brick was chosen as the building material for the structure that protected an entire civilization.
As civilization advanced and cities arose, the need for buildings increased. Many cities that built first with lumber learned early on about the tremendous costs of rebuilding. After the great fire of the late 1600s, London rebuilt with brick and stone. Chicago’s great fire also transformed it into a masonry city and strict building codes were enacted, some of which are still on the books today. Denver’s great fire of 1863 had a similar effect. Masonry ordinances requiring that all buildings within the city limits be built of fireproof materials, i.e., brick and stone, remained in place for nearly 80 years.

Flashing (the construction kind, not the illegal kind!)

2008-05-14T09:48:00.002-06:00

We like to give generic advice whenever possible but I do have some flashing preferences. Do NOT use any flashing with vinyl in it. The high pH of wet mortar eats holes in vinyl. This eliminates any PVC flashing products from my recommended list. According to Architectural Graphics Standards, mortar is also corrosive to pure aluminum and pure zinc. Alloys with these materials do not seem to have trouble with corrosion. I recommend metal flashings only for the longest lasting buildings (like cathedrals and university buildings). Although the metal flashing is slightly more expensive than flexible flashings, the time required to cut it, fold it and weld it accounts for the real price jump between flexible flashings and metal ones. Flexible bitumen flashings are my personal favorite for Colorado’s climate. The material is cost effective, easy to
work with, long lasting and tolerant of the high pH of mortar. The tar coating will
even self-heal small holes and cracks once the sun comes out and heats the wall.
The manufacturers tell you to peel off the backing and install the flashing sticky-side down on a clean, dry substrate. You must also hold the flashing back 1/2” from the face of the wall so that the sun doesn’t melt the tar and have it drip down the face
of the building. If you want the flashing to continue to the face of the wall, you can either pair the bitumen flashing with a 1” wide galvanized metal drip edge or you can use Hyload flexible flashing, a bitumen-based flexible flashing system that comes with an integral drip edge. Go to their web site at www.hyloadflashing.com to see more.

Masons Build More Habitat

2008-05-13T19:29:00.002-06:00

This week we begin work on the second Habitat for Humanity project here in Denver. The first, a tri-plex which was veneered by apprentices, is complete and will be presented to its new owners on May 21. This second project is a duplex and it will be veneered by masons. These Habitat projects really underscore how masonry reduces lifecycle and ownership costs, making it a very important material for inclusion in affordable housing projects as well as sustainable projects of all kinds.

We do Not condone the use of bricks in this Manner

2008-05-12T08:32:00.001-06:00

From today's news in Colorado Springs:
"A woman abducted from a Target parking lot by a man who hit her head with a brick, bound her with tape and threw her in the back of her car used a cell phone to alert police."

This is not the appropriate use for a brick.

The New OSHA 10

2008-05-09T08:51:00.001-06:00

The world of safety training has changed with the times. Gotta keep the training relevant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOF2AKBV2vI

Protect Your Community

2008-05-08T13:46:00.000-06:00

Some call it new urbanism. Some call it green building, and others call it just plain smart. However it's termed, communities throughout America (and Colorado) are enacting masonry ordinances to combat substandard construction and manage the quality of new development. Local governments favor masonry standards because they provide a tangible way to guarantee the durability, safety and curb appeal of new buildings in their communities. Masonry guidelines ensure that new homes and schools are built to last and to require little or no exterior maintenance. Masonry guidelines guarantee that apartments and town homes are built to resist fire, hail and wind. And last but not least, masonry requirements leave plenty of room for individual - expression and design choices.

Do I need weep holes or dampproofing for a retaining wall?

2008-05-06T16:10:00.000-06:00

You probably need weep holes OR a foundation drain—not both. Weep holes are cheaper but they are also more visible.
If you choose to use weep holes, you need to know that these are not tiny little plastic tubes. They are surprisingly large chunks of PVC pipe—1.5” diameter, minimum. You need to install them at about 6’-0” on center. The tubes should extend about an inch beyond the face of the wall to keep water from drooling down the face of the wall. If you don’t like PVC pipe, you can install metal lamb’s tongue pieces at the face of the wall.
You will need drainage fabric installed on the back side of the weep tube to keep soil from clogging the tube.
You need to install a continuous line of gravel on the back side of the wall at the weep tube elevation. This line of pea gravel is usually about 6” wide and 12” to 18” high.

H2B Problems Spreading

2008-05-05T15:18:00.001-06:00

This story from MetroNorth Newspapers takes a look at how Congress' failure to revive the H2B program has impacted many industries.

Fielding a workforce: As growing turns to harvest, labor needs crucial

By Sara Crocker Editor's Note: Today begins the first installment of a four-part series on immigration. While the series is centered on the impacts of illegal immigration in the Adams County region, it will also explore some immigration issues in general. The first part looks at labor, which will be followed by education, health and crime. April 29, 2008 18:10

Each month that goes by, employers at Northglenn-based D&E Steel Services have to turn away about four perspective employees. But D&E is not fully staffed. The applicants are skilled, President Steve Thoutt says. They are hard working, too. What these people can't provide, however, is the proper documentation to prove they are allowed to work in the states. "We're having a tough time finding more workers," said Thoutt, whose company specializes in design, supply, detailing and installation of steel. In January, D&E applied for 10 H-2B workers - a federal program which lets employers hire foreign workers temporarily - but was denied, Thoutt said. Dave Tollefson, president of Thornton-based landscaping company Urban Farmer, said he was approved for the 250 H-2B workers he applied for, though he didn't expect to get them all. Still, when the 66,000-person cap for the program was met, his workers were still in Mexico, he said, and that's where they'll have to stay. Tollefson was able to extend the visas of 100 H-2B workers here for the winter season. Still, he's short 190 people. "That means that we're scrambling right now," he said. It's a fear that most employers who rely on a large, labor-intensive workforce have echoed throughout the region. The problem, they say, is they try - and must prove to the government to use the H-2B program - to hire people living in the area first. Those people can be hard to find because of the kind of work and time commitment these jobs can have, employers said. "We are seasonal employers and the product that we grow requires much hand work and hand harvest," said Dave Petrocco Sr., president of David Petrocco Farms based in Brighton. The third-generation vegetable farmer said the June to September season has always made it hard to find workers. "Secondly, it's work that's out in the fields that requires early hours, late hours and holiday work and much of that is work with the hands," Petrocco said. "So the American workforce to fulfill those type of jobs seasonally is very limited."

You can read the whole story at www.metronorthnews.com