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AGC of Wisconsin Recognizes IEI’s Chase Stone Barn Project

DE PERE, Wisconsin – IEI General Contractors Inc. earned the Historical Preservation Award from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Wisconsin for its work on the iconic Chase Stone Barn in Oconto County. The AGC is the leading professional trade association for the commercial construction industry in the state of Wisconsin.

IEI General Contractors is a premier construction project management firm headquartered in De Pere, Wisconsin. Secretary/treasurer Brad Deprez, Vice President Rick Geurts and Town of Chase Park Commission Chairman Norb Reinhard Jr. accepted the award at the 2016 BUILD Wisconsin Awards ceremony at SentryWorld in Stevens Point.

The Chase Stone Barn, located approximately 4 miles northeast of Pulaski and 12 miles northwest of Green Bay, was built in 1903 by Daniel Krause Jr., a farmer who had taken over the family farm in 1876 from his German immigrant father. He enlisted the help of a local stonemason, Wilhelm Mensenkamp, to build a spectacular fieldstone barn that harkened back to the great granaries of Europe and would stand the test of time. The side walls are 14 feet tall, 2 feet thick, and estimated to weigh 2 tons per linear foot.

The structure had fallen into disrepair and was nominated for America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2009. Thanks largely to the efforts of the Pulaski Area Historical Society, the Chase Stone Barn was placed on the State and National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

IEI crews used no electricity or power tools of any kind during the restoration process in an effort to re-create the historical authenticity of the Chase Stone Barn. In a nod to the building’s early twentieth-century origins, the restoration team used old-school techniques that relied on hand tools throughout the process.

Handsaws, traditional screwdrivers, hammers and nails were the tools of the day and would be for the duration of this project. Experts in construction materials and techniques of the period were consulted to ensure historical accuracy.

About IEI General Contractors, Inc.

IEI General Contractors is a member of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Wisconsin and has more than 25 years of construction service. Safety is of the utmost priority, and all IEI foremen and superintendents hold certifications in OSHA 30, first aid, CPR, scaffold competency and excavation safety. Field employees participate in educational opportunities such as ICRA training and weekly safety toolbox talks, and the company relies on third-party safety professionals for onsite inspections, training, consultations and reporting.

IEI has a history of making the construction process a pleasant and low-stress experience for stakeholders in any industry. As a premier construction project management firm, IEI General Contractors, Inc. is a proven expert in industrial construction and renovation in Northeast Wisconsin. For more information about IEI General Contractors, go to ieigc.com or call 920‑337‑2111.