It is not often a masonry crew has the opportunity to create something new, yet historically accurate. Kraemer Brothers masons did just this when given the job of matching the exterior stonework of the 100-year-old St. Joseph Catholic Church in Baraboo as part of a 9,100 square foot addition and 6,650 square foot remodeling project. After searching several Wisconsin quarries, the stone was found. Our masons masterfully executed the church’s mortar rope jointing, which matched the style of the century old church. The addition consisted of a new centralized entry, narthex, vesting sacristy, eucharistic chapel, reconciliation room, gathering space, and a servery. Inside the existing church, the sacristy and day chapel were remodeled into seating and a choir area, while they old narthex was converted to a cry room. Decorative stained glass preserves the historic atmosphere and also provides an exciting update to the church.

Part of a goal to convert the existing school into a more energy-efficient building, Kraemer Brothers quickly got to work as soon as school was out for the summer, renovating 13,700 square feet of space. New unit ventilators were installed in the classrooms, and boilers and water pumps replaced the original equipment. Another significant part of the project was an electrical upgrade. Affiliated with St. Joseph Catholic Church, Kraemer Brothers has had a long-standing relationship, starting with the original school in 1957 and continuing with numerous renovations and additions to the church and school over the years.

With recent growth and a strong waiting list, Westside Christian School needed to expand and add onto their existing church and school. Located on the northwest side of Middleton, this single-story addition consists of 6 modernized classrooms, office spaces, restrooms, and utility rooms. With construction starting in March, we were able to fast-track this building to finish up in August, right before the new school year started. With the septic tanks very close to the entrance of the addition, Kraemer Brothers executed the project with precise excavation and careful concrete pours. Matching the exterior and interior color and materials of the previous building, we were able to seamlessly connect the addition to the existing building. Also included in this project were upgrades in the sanctuary in St. Andrew Lutheran Church. These upgrades include new lighting controls and flooring, renovations to the sound system at the AV desk, as well as acoustical sound panels and a raised platform for musical instruments.