Susan Mowris

Susan Mowris's Posts

• Features

  Whitetopping Restores Air Traffic at Spirit of St. Louis

  by Susan Mowris

  One of the largest general-aviation airports in the Midwest, Spirit of St. Louis Airport accommodates 1,000 takeoffs and landings daily. The airport opened in 1964 to relieve air traffic at Lambert Airport, the major airport in the St. Louis area. Over the years, the heavy plane traffic caused severe deterioration of the asphalt. In some sections, exposure to jet fuel turned the asphalt to mush. A devastating flood in 1993 that submerged the ramp under 9 feet of water aggravated the damage, making the apron unusable.

• Features

  Tilt-Up Goes Upscale

  by Susan Mowris

  Tilt-up panels with elaborate designs are being used to build homes in the Rockies, retail shops on the West Coast, and hotels in Florida. The big news is the increasing popularity of tilt-up construction for large distribution centers, often vast structures ranging from several hundred to over a million square feet.

• Features

  Leaving a Lasting Impression

  by Susan Mowris

  Stamped and colored concrete mimics what it is not. The goal is to simulate natural stone, real brick, or glazed tile as closely as possible.