Completed in August, St. Cecilia Catholic Church now stands as the tallest building in Wisconsin Dells. The church itself is a tall structure at 60 feet, but the bell tower takes the cake at 92 feet. While we are honored to have built such a towering and prominent structure in the area, it is humbling to regard the piece of history Kraemer Brothers has contributed to the Catholic community, the town and the tourists. Building on the 113-year history and looking down the road another century; to think of the services, weddings, funerals, baptisms and more that will take place within this new church is truly something to comprehend. The finishing touches, which occurred the first week in August, included installation of the altar woodwork, the pews and other miscellaneous decorative pieces that had adorned the old church. Kraemer Brothers masonry and finish carpentry accented by the intricate painting, the century-old stained glass windows, copper doors and altar woodwork makes one question whether they are in the Wisconsin Dells or a cathedral in Rome. And if you’re curious how many bricks make up this fortress – an astounding 172,000 bricks and 400 tons of masonry mortar.

A public dedication was held on August 28 at 2:30pm following the first Mass in the new church. This Solemn Mass of Dedication event lived up to its hype, as an estimated 1,500 people crowded into the new church for the three hour mass. In a church that seats 1,000, the spillover of people filled hallways, stood around the perimeter, and sat on folding chairs in the entryway, all eager to partake in the landmark event. Following the mass even more people joined in for the food, the band and fun festivities that took place outdoors to celebrate the conclusion of a project that began as a dream for the congregation 14 years prior. Congratulations to the entire project team and especially, the Catholic community of the Wisconsin Dells area!

PHOTO CREDIT: ST. CECLILIA CATHOLIC CHURCH

As it has many years in our history, school work will again define the summer months for Kraemer Brothers as we tackle renovations while students are on break. In the Platteville School District there will be four schools under renovation, including Westview Elementary where we began the expansion last fall with simultaneous additions for classrooms and a gymnasium. The upcoming summer renovations will complete the tie-in to the existing school. The three other Platteville schools to be renovated with school out include the high school, middle school and the Neal Wilkins Early Learning Center. The summer projects start in June and will be finished by the end of August, completing the overall project in time for the 2016-17 school year, just as the school district had planned when selecting Kraemer Brothers.

PHOTO CREDIT: PLATTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Our newest hotel project for a valued hospitality client opened to guests Feb. 2 in the new Liberty Center retail development near Cincinnati. The new six-story AC Hotel is one-of-a-kind. Instead of a full-service, in-house restaurant, the AC’s lounge serves drinks, and its kitchen serves European-inspired breakfast items. This modern hotel allows guests to check-in online, skip the front desk, and use a smart phone as the room key. Outdoor terraces offer views of Liberty Center. Its overall features include minimalist designs with hardwood floors and sleek furniture. With 132 rooms, an indoor pool, a spa, a 2,100-square-foot conference center, and ground floor retail space, this AC Hotel is the first newly constructed facility in the United States since Marriott International and European hotelier Antonio Catalan (AC) brought the brand to this country. And the new brand has an aggressive expansion plan, as evidenced by Kraemer Brothers’ current construction project on another AC Hotel in downtown Madison for a different client.

A successful first project last year for Kraemer Development has led to an additional construction project to begin soon. The new retail and office building on Greenway Boulevard in Middleton is a new $4 million facility to be located in front of the Wisconsin Trade Center kitty-corner from Kraemer Brothers’ recent Greenway Station project. It will be a three-level structure with parking in the basement and several tenant spaces on the main level and second floor. The exterior facade includes high-end design with brick, stone and other materials. Initial site work begins this month, and in late May foundations will start, with completion in January 2017.

PHOTO CREDIT: RED DEVELOPMENT

The fall semester was greeted by the newly completed science building at the University of Wisconsin- Baraboo/Sauk County campus. New labs and classrooms are the primary features of the new structure, replacing outdated space. A large classroom has a view of the distant Baraboo Hills across the valley and will also serve as a community room for a variety of purposes. In all, the building provides students and faculty with 14,000 square feet of new educational science facilities and renovation of 10,000 square feet of existing space. The new building is contemporary in design and nestled into the campus hillside to preserve the breath-taking view, as well as to achieve sustainable energy goals. The unique grass-covered roof doubles as a sustainable feature and a platform for outdoor concerts and plays. By coordinating closely with the administration, Kraemer Brothers was able to save over $250,000 for the city and county by recommending changes to the building plans while preserving overall quality. This relationship also guided our efforts to minimize inconveniences for students and faculty during construction.