Design-build specialist Keystone Construction Company has received the St. Louis Concrete Council’s 2021 Quality Concrete Award for work at The Factory entertainment venue in Chesterfield, Mo. The 52,000-sq.-ft., tilt-up building is the first performance venue to be built from the ground up in the region in over 20 years.
The venue was constructed using more than 50,000 square feet of interior slabs and more than 40,000 square feet of concrete tilt-up wall panels. In total, 6,346 cubic yards of concrete and more than 300,000 lbs. of rebar were used in nearly every structural application possible. Fenix Construction Company and Kienstra Ready Mix, both of St. Louis, were the project’s concrete subcontractor and ready mixed concrete supplier, respectively.
“The Factory is a great example of how tilt-up can be used to provide a high quality, low maintenance product with a modern aesthetic that is built to last,” says Bill Hardie, president of Keystone Construction. “It was an honor to work on this complex project and to bring a unique, live entertainment destination to St. Louis.”
The multi-tier facility, which developer Staenberg Group opened in mid-2021, features a large center stage, open general assembly and a second-floor balcony with an open area and seating. Due to multiple elevations within the space, the tilt-up panels were all formed and poured on casting slabs. Concrete for the mezzanine areas was pumped from inside the building.
The Factory is an anchor in the redevelopment of an outlet mall on the north side of Highway 40 in Chesterfield into The District at Chesterfield entertainment complex. The venue has capacity for 3,400 guests and features unique, movable partitions that create a range of seating configurations. The industrial style of The Factory is reminiscent of old manufacturing spaces with finishes including weathered wood, open metal work stairs, exposed brick and stone, industrial lighting fixtures and polished concrete.
The primary challenge faced during The Factory’s construction involved tracking the panels, which measured up to 100 tons and 60 feet tall, from the casting slabs. A 440-ton crawler crane was used to erect the panels. PHOTOS: Fenix Construction Company