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Phenix Marble is honored to be featured in Building Stone Magazine’ s Spring 2024 issue. Randi Minetor writes about “A ‘capitol’ investment”, the Missouri State Capitol’s five- year restoration effort, where Phenix Marble provided the historically matched stone for the monumental project’s rehabilitation efforts.
The Natural Stone Institute's prestigious Pinnacle Award, honors stone companies around the world for projects that stand out above the rest –Phenix Marble was honored to receive this award for the historical restoration of the Missouri State Capitol.
Originally constructed in 1913, the historic Missouri State Capitol dominates Jefferson City’s skyline from all directions. The classical revival building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and remains a treasure to the State of Missouri. Resting on a limestone bluff on the south bank of the Missouri River, it totals 500,000 sq. ft. and sits on three acres of land.
The exterior stone is Missouri limestone coming from The Carthage Crushed Limestone Company, founded in 1888. It was once the largest gray marble quarry in the world and its marble can be found on many federal buildings throughout the country. The Capitol building features a symmetrical design, front columned portico with Corinthian style columns of full height, a front facing gable roof on the portico and a cornice.
In need of urgent repairs after 100 years of weathering, an extensive exterior restoration of the Carthage marble clad Capitol was called for. In 2018, the Missouri State Capitol Commission selected Missouri Phenix Marble as the stone to be used for repairs to the facade of the Missouri State Capitol building. The stone, popularly known as “Napoleon Gray Marble,” is actually a high-quality limestone that was used in the original construction of the Capitol. The scope of work focused on restoring the deteriorating stonework facades.
The team removed, fabricated, and installed over 4.5 million pounds of stone, including 8,000 custom fabricated pieces, and removed over 500 carved units. The team also re-pointed 147,000 linear feet of mortar joints with a historically compatible mortar. Approximately two million pounds of scaffolding equipment was used to complete the project.
The restoration also included the Capitol’s top tenant. After 94 years, Ceres, the iconic statue on top of the dome, was removed and conserved. The 10'-4" sculpture of the Roman Goddess of Agriculture was dismantled using a 550-ton crane, allowing skilled tradespeople to access and remove the statue while hundreds watched to see the historic figure up close.
The careful and meticulous restoration of the Capitol brought back its original grandeur as the building entered its second century.
Learn more about the award here.
We are all spending a lot more time at home these days. Hopefully you’ve had the chance to appreciate what you love about your home or maybe dream up some projects to improve it. Spending the summer with your family in the backyard, hanging out, cooking dinner on the grill, you might have started thinking about expanding or upgrading your patio and deck. Phenix is an excellent choice for so many outdoor applications - countertops, pavers, stair treads, fire features, and veneer to name a few. But In honor of summer meals outside we wanted to highlight one specific use - grill and smoker housings.
After investing in a Big Green Egg or other smoker, you want it to be secure but also have pride of place. A Phenix natural stone cut out offers a perfect solution. When planning your Phenix outdoor kitchen, there are three different ways we design smoker cut outs. Each will provide a durable, beautiful home for your smoker for countless summers.
Basic
Straight sides accommodate any type and size of smoker.
Standard
Radius cut at the back offers a more secure fit and added support for the smoker lid when open.
Premium
Enclosed on all sides with a radius cut front for a custom fit. Requires coordination with cabinetmakers.
We’re always glad to talk you through different options and help you decide what’s best for you and your project. Call or send us a message when you’re ready to start designing your new outdoor kitchen!
Exceptionally durable, easy to maintain, with lasting beauty and local origins…it’s no wonder that so many of Springfield’s restaurants and bars selected Phenix as their stone of choice. In some cases, the stone has been in place for more than 20 years, cut from remnant stone before the quarry was reopened. Here’s an inside look at three of our city’s popular destinations featuring top quality Phenix stone.
With a vision of creating the city’s first boutique hotel by renovating an historic downtown building, the Hotel Vandivort quickly settled on Phenix for tabletops in their popular restaurant, the Order. Not only do these beautiful Napoleon Gray® pieces match the unique ‘history meets the future’ aesthetic of the hotel, but easy cleaning and maintenance make them the ideal choice for this high-traffic restaurant. It’s no surprise that when the hotel decided to expand, Phenix made the list: you can find our stone in the V2 guestrooms as well as on the exterior of the building.
Launching a new business brings many decisions, but an easy one for Hold Fast Brewing, and their contractor, Stinson Building Company, was to feature Phenix stone as the centerpiece of the new brewery. To match the vibe of the historic firehouse, they chose a selection of beautifully Fleuri cut stone to create an impressive bar with waterfall edge. With only simple cleaning required and a beauty that deepens with age, this bar is sure to serve as a meeting point for years to come.
Always a popular residential neighborhood in Springfield, Rountree has seen a number of new local businesses open in the Cherry-Pickwick area in recent years, creating a welcoming destination for neighbors both near and far. Cherry Picker Package x Fare wanted to extend that local feeling when they renovated their space, and Phenix stone was the ideal choice for their counter, making an impressive visual impact while also reinforcing their commitment to sustainability.
Our Napoleon and Fleuri cuts are at once both distinct and complimentary, giving you the opportunity to mix and match them to achieve a variety of unique combinations and looks. Many customers utilize both cuts in their kitchens - Fleuri for the countertops, Napoleon for the island, for example. In this recent residential project, the homeowner not only included both cuts, but also decided to orient their Napoleon countertops with the veins running perpendicular to the backsplash for an interesting visual effect. Similarly, their stunning tub surround features only Napoleon Gray, but they’ve arranged the pieces to create a custom pattern with the veining.
Naturally durable, Phenix stone performs beautifully as fireplace and hearth surrounds. Using different cuts and finishes, we can create a stunning, unique fireplace for your home or patio that matches your design style, a true one of a kind piece for your building project. Find your inspiration in these example, then contact us to discuss your ideas.
