Initially founded by Luciano, Luigi and Adriano Quintarelli as the Lessinia Stone Co., Pietra della Lessinia Srl is an Italian stone-processing company rich in history and craftsmanship. The Quintarelli family, who still owns the stone business today, initially started out cutting blocks by hand in the early 1960s. Through the decades, the management of the company passed down from generation to generation, and in the 1980s, the business officially became named Pietra della Lessinia.

Standing in the heart of the Village of Tinley Park in Illinois is an Arts and Crafts style train station with limestone cladding and a slate roof, which has become the center of attraction in the community. In particular, the station’s three-story clock tower with an observation deck contributes to the overall character of the design. The train station was the first step in a master plan targeted at resurfacing the “Old World charm” of the village.

As president and owner of Northwestern Marble & Granite Co. since 1988, David C. Gramling - named after his grandfather who had also once served as company owner and president - has dedicated himself to continuing to run a successful fabrication business, which has been in his family for more than 100 years. Since its start in 1896, the company has experienced several name changes, actively supported World War II and relocated its facility a few times. Today, Northwestern Marble & Granite Co. operates out of a 20,000-square-foot shop - with an additional 7,000 square feet of office/showroom space - in Edina, MN, and the company works hard to serve both the residential and commercial markets across the U.S.

Cold Spring Granite Co. dates back to 1886, when Scottish stoneworker Henry Alexander formed a partnership with several other stonemen from his native homeland. Through the years, the company continually expanded. In 1958, Cold Spring Granite purchased the Melrose Granite Co. of St. Cloud, MN. The property where the company sat included a large fabricating plant and several older quarries, including the Carnelian quarry just east of Milbank. Today, this site operates as “Carnelian No. 1 Quarry.”

Chien Chung (Didi) Pei, AIA, and his younger brother Li Chung (Sandi) Pei, AIA, not only share a family bond, but they also both have a passion for architecture. As a result, they set out on their own in 1992 and opened Pei Partnership Architects in New York City. Before beginning their own endeavor, however, the two gained valuable experience in designing large-scale buildings while working under the tutelage of their father, I.M. Pei, for nearly two decades.

Set on property with a scenic view, a private estate in a suburb of Jerusalem, Israel, takes advantage of its natural environment. The use of Ramon Grey limestone - known in the U.S. as “Jerusalem Grey” - satisfied building regulations as well as creating a beautiful modern design.

Twenty-five years ago, Guy Baptiste, president of Tabernacle Granite & Marble, Inc., ventured into the stone fabrication business with only $300. Although production was slow at first, today his company has grown to not only include a facility in Tabernacle, NJ, where he initially opened a shop, but also a second location in Harbinger, NC.

In 1971, Granite Importers Inc. of Barre, VT, was established as an importer of granite from South America for the monument industry. Through the years, the company evolved into a full-scale plant for architectural stonework operation - specializing in cubic work, customized moldings, columns, steps, coping, paving and veneer. Today, Granite Importers’ portfolio includes a range of large-scale projects, including prestigious government, university and hospitality buildings as well as residential work - primarily on the East Coast.

Construction of a new Georgia Public Health Laboratory (GPHL) in Waycross, GA, was recently completed, and the building was designed to be a “sister” facility to the main Public Health Laboratory in Decatur, GA. As a result, the new structure is similar in both physical appearance and internal design so that if the Decatur facility were to become non-functional, staff and equipment could be transported into comparable space at this alternate location, and resume research with minimal retraining time. And to mimic the architecture of the original building, Rubble Stone - comprised of granite pieces that included scrap material and byproducts from other stoneworking processes - was employed for the exterior facade of the 23,840-square-foot Waycross facility.

Located just about 100 miles north of Yellowstone National Park, Slabworks of Montana in Bozeman, MT, has experienced significant growth since it first opened its doors in 1994. What began as a two-man operation has now blossomed to a staff of 18, and the company’s facility has also expanded in terms of size and equipment.