Monday, June 20, 2011

KIRBY STONE PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Cascada at Canyon Lake

Cascada at Canyon Lake – Exterior Signage

The Team

Design Firm: A-Design by Gustavo Arredondo, San Antonio, Texas
Landscape Design: TBG Partners, San Antonio, Texas
Developer: Stadler & Leatham Development, Bulverde, Texas
Masonry Contractor: JM Castillo Masonry, San Antonio, Texas

The Project

With the entrance completed in 2009, Cascada at Canyon Lake is one the Spring Branch, Texas’ newest master planned communities. Situated north of San Antonio, the project is located near Canyon Lake and the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. Amidst these natural attractions, Cascada at Canyon Lake is a luxurious hill country playground with large lots for new custom homes. Home builders within the community currently include Stadler Custom Homes and VERITAS Custom Home Builders.

For more information regarding Cascada at Canyon Lake, including local amenities, available lots and more, please visit them online HERE.

Cascada at Canyon Lake – Guard House & Gated Entrance

The Stone

The stone selection for the Cascada at Canyon Lake project is Kirby Premium Cave natural limestone, originating from Kirby Stone Company’s limestone quarry located in Salado, Texas. Our first Kirby Premium Cave project, we were oringinally skeptical of the stone’s ability to stand on its own, due to the dark colors and hard textures associated with this natural limestone product. However, as Kirby Stone Company, LLC has always done, we accommodated Bron Leatham’s vision for the development, and Kirby Stone Company, LCC was excited to be part of such a unique, beautiful project.

As one reviews these photos of the project in the blog, you will notice the predominance of an extremely rough texture and rustic color throughout the project’s community walls and entrance design. The color and texture of the natural limestone is complimented well by the rust-colored wrought iron, and the total package blends well with the natural landscape of the Texas Hill Country.

Laid in an ashlar pattern, the Kirby Premium Cave natural limestone has been prepared into a sawn, chopped form. Ranging from four inches to ten inches in face height, the Kirby Premium Cave limestone is sawn on the top and bottom with rough, split faces on the remaining sides.

Cascada at Canyon Lake – Community Walls

For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

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Monday, June 13, 2011

STONE SHOWCASE: Hill Country Blend

Product Description

Kirby Stone Company, LLC’s Hill Country Blend consists of a unique blend of natural limestone colors. Predominantly Kirby Cream, additional limestone colors include Salado Gold and Kirby White. Upon request, the ratio of cream, gold and white natural limestone may be altered to accommodate your project.


Hill Country Blend natural limestone is most often paired with a white mortar, which helps each individual stone unit stand out effectively.

Kirby Stone Company’s Hill Country Blend limestone is quarried in Salado, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s natural limestone products, please visit our website.


Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Kirby Cream natural limestone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.
  • Sawn Chopped Stone
  • Thin Veneer Chopped Stone
  • Sawn Patio Stone
  • Sawn Hearths and Lintels
For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

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Monday, June 6, 2011

HISTORIC PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: The University of the South

All Saints’ Chapel – University of the South


With the mercury rising to consistent highs of 100 degrees last week, we at Kirby Stone Company, LLC are taking meteorology into our own hands by assuming summer in Texas is officially upon us! While the summer typically means students don’t have to think about school anymore until August or September, Kirby Stone Company’s article this week focuses on a natural sandstone stone project that has been recognized by organizations as one of America’s Most Beautiful Campuses. Today we will delve into some of the details surrounding Tennessee’s very own University of the South.


Walsh Ellet Hall – University of the South


The Project


Originally founded in 1857, the University of the South, which is fondly referred to as simply “Sewanee” to many of the school’s current enrollees, the opening of the school was delayed until 1868 due to the Civil War. However, the University of the South was strongly supported by several benefactors in the United States as well as England noting the Southern United States needed an Episcopal presence.


McClurg Dining Hall – University of the South


The first class of the University of the South began with nine students and four faculty members. However, the deeply embedded history of Sewanee in intercollegiate sports, the numerous additions and improvements to campus and the university’s dedication to education and its Episcopal belief system has helped Sewanee grow to the over 1,500 students and become one of the top liberal arts colleges in the United States.


The Stone

All of the natural sandstone used for the University of the South’s gothic architecture is inherently Tennessee. While many of the notable natural sandstone projects around the campus date back to the early 20th century, there are also several newer projects that boast many of the same ideas in design, including the McClurg Dining Hall.


McClurg Dining Hall – University of the South


The natural sandstone product used for the University of the South’s McClurg Dining Hall was all quarried in Tennessee. With over 2,000 tons of stone, much of the sandstone was quarried right on the Domain, the area’s common name for the 13,000 forested acres of campus. Additional sandstone product was quarried from surrounding Tennessee areas.

The meticulous nature with which the natural sandstone has been applied to the University of the South, even with their newer buildings, gives the campus an old world, Cambridge feel without ever having to leave their own backyard. Now that is GREEN! It is no wonder that the campus’ unique appearance through the use of indigenous natural sandstone consistently lands the University of the South near the top of “Most Beautiful Campus” surveys!



For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

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Monday, May 30, 2011

KIRBY STONE PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Baytown Fire Station No. 6


The Team

Architectural Firm: BRW Architects, College Station, Texas
General Contractor: R. Hassell Builders, Houston, Texas
Masonry Contractor: Acme Constructors Inc., Houston, Texas

The Project

Completed within the first quarter of 2011, Baytown Fire Station No. 6 is the first new fire station in Baytown, Texas in approximately thirty-five years. The new fire station consists of approximately 10,000 square feet and is now functional and occupied by the Baytown Fire Department.


The Stone

The natural stone selection for this project originates from Kirby Stone Company’s limestone quarry located in Salado, Texas. One will notice the predominance of rustic color within a majority of the project’s walls. This natural limestone, consisting of approximately 95% of the project masonry façade, is most commonly referred to as “Nicotine” limestone among the natural stone community. The remaining 5% of masonry uses a bold, rust-colored stone most commonly named “Cave Stone”.

Laid in an ashlar pattern, the predominant natural limestone observed is Nicotine in a sawn, chopped form. Ranging from four inches to eight inches in face height, the Nicotine limestone is sawn on the top and bottom with rough, split faces on the remaining sides. In addition to the primary natural stone, the Cave limestone is utilized as an accent throughout the facility as well as other natural stone components of the property, including the refuse and fence columns. The Cave limestone provides a subtle, yet noticeable, complement to the Nicotine. Similar to the Nicotine limestone, the Cave limestone is also sawn on the top and bottom while the remaining sides maintain a rough, split-faced finish.

Complemented by the thick, dark cedar-esque siding, the Kirby Stone Company Nicotine and Cave natural limestone products offer a rustic, natural aesthetic consistent with a majority of BRW-College Station’s previous projects, many of which have gone on to win design awards. Headquartered in Baytown, Texas, Kirby Stone Company is proud to be a part of such a tremendous project adding to and upgrading our very own local heroes, the Baytown Fire Department.


For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

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Monday, May 23, 2011

STONE SHOWCASE: Desert Sunset

Product Description

Kirby Stone Company, LLC’s Desert Sunset natural sandstone product will truly make any project type unique. The stone blend includes an array of radiant colors within the spectrum of yellow, from a soft yellow to a bold gold. Complementing Desert Sunset natural sandstone products with darker trim accents will ensure your project stands out from ordinary!


Kirby Stone Company’s Desert Sunset is most effectively used with a tan mortar color. As with many of Kirby Stone Company’s natural sandstone products, it assists in providing a natural aesthetic.

Desert Sunset natural sandstone is quarried in Lometa, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s Desert Sunset natural sandstone products, please visit the Desert Sunset portion of our website. You may get there immediately by clicking HERE.


Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Desert Sunset natural sandstone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.
  • Quarry Chopped Stone
  • Sawn Chopped Stone
  • Thin Veneer Chopped Stone
  • 3” to 5” Flagstone
  • 4” to 6” Flagstone
  • Thin Veneer Flagstone
  • 1” to 3” Split Patio Stone
  • Sawn Patio Stone
  • Sawn Hearths and Lintels
  • Sawn Blocks
For more information regarding all of our stone products,
please visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC online at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com.

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