Echelon Provides the Perfect Monolithic Look for Aurora’s New Public Library

The city of Aurora, Illinois, completed its new, 92,000-square-foot library in 2016. This downtown gem features a flexible design and the latest technology that easily adapts to meet future needs. As a modern, 21st-century library, it provides expanded public space for children and youth services and meeting rooms, as well as an area for cultural endeavors such as art, humanities, performances, and historical exhibits. The library is a new destination for culture and entertainment, as well as a gathering point for the Aurora community.

Local architects, Cordogan Clark & Associates spearheaded the project envisioning a monolithic design that was also cost-efficient. The company’s installation partner, Iwanski Masonry suggested exploring product offerings from Echelon.

“For the most part, we were after an economical product with the look of cut limestone and flexibility in sizes,” stated Tim Weber, Project Manager with Cordogan Clark & Associates. “The Franklin Stone from Echelon provided the exact monolithic look we were going for and fit within our budget.”

Franklin Stone is a very dense manufactured limestone product that perfectly met the architectural team’s aesthetics for color and texture. Echelon produced various sizes and shapes (12 x 24, 8 x 24, 4 x 24) of the veneer to mimic the look of limestone. In addition, since the stone was produced in Morris, Illinois, which is within 500 miles from where the aggregate was extracted and materials manufactured, the construction qualified to be registered as a LEED project.

Overall, the project faced few challenges, but when the architect encountered some unexpected delays, Echelon was able to move up shipping and keep the project moving forward.

In addition to meeting the desired architectural aesthetics, the Franklin Stone provided an additional benefit on the project. “The library is obviously in an urban environment with sidewalks that butt right up to the building,” stated Weber. “We wanted the veneer to drop below the sidewalk for a nice, clean look. 

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