Western Specialty Contractors – Indianapolis, IN Branch has the honor of restoring the masonry facade of The Stutz, the historic Stutz Motorcar Company factory in Downtown Indianapolis, as part of a multi-million-dollar renovation project.
The Stutz complex was built in 1911-1912 by Harry Stutz who produced cars there until 1935 when it closed due to the Great Depression. Eli Lilly and Co. purchased the complex in 1940 and operated its packaging division there until 1982. The complex remained vacant until 1993 when Turner Woodard purchased it as a hub for artists and businesses. Spanning 3.8 acres, the four-story, seven-building complex occupies an entire city block.
New York and Nashville-based developer SomeraRoad acquired the property at the start of 2021 with plans to revitalize its 441,000 square feet into a live-work-play destination offering flexible space for retail, restaurants, artist studios, office space, a car museum, and a range of event capabilities. Phase One of the $100 million restoration project includes new windows, elevators, entrances, HVAC and electrical and plumbing, plus major façade repairs and restoration of its iconic archway on Capitol Avenue. They expect Phase One to be complete in 2023.
Scope of the work
They hired masonry restoration experts Western Specialty Contractors to restore the building’s masonry and concrete façade and roof. The $1 million scope of work includes:
- Masonry removal and replacement
- Concrete roof repairs
- Column and beam repairs
- Terra cotta tile removal and replacement
- Restoration of its decorative archway entrance
“It is such an honor to team up on masonry restoration on such an Iconic property as the Stutz Factory. The Stutz factory building is a landmark property in Indianapolis that means so much to the people of Indianapolis, especially the racing community. It is nice to know that they are restoring and retooling the property so that it can stay in the heart of the city and be admired by all,” said Western Indianapolis Branch Manager Mark Antoskiewicz.
Western started the work in February 2022 and is on track to complete the project in August 2023.
Indianapolis firm DELV Design is the architect of record on the project, with New York-based firm S9 Architecture serving as the redevelopment’s design architect. Local construction firm Shiel Sexton is the project’s general contractor. Additionally, Kennedy Consult Group is the engineer.
About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and also property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western has its headquarters in St. Louis, MO with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For further information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit www.westernspecialtycontractors.com.
