Projects

When construction began for The Mall at Partridge Creek in Clinton Township, Mich., the experts at Ambrico were consulted to develop brick siding that would deliver the appearance of traditional brick at a more reasonable price. The results were elegant store fronts enhanced with Ambrico’s veneer brick for greater durability and an appeal of warmth.

Ambrico’s brick panels were attached to the building’s original facade surface and skillfully applied, producing the appearance of real brick at an overall depth of only 5/8″. The shops’ EZ-Wall® system is architectural-steel grade, embossed, hot dipped galvanized to G-90 finish, and has approximately the same thermal coefficient as brick and mortar. By utilizing Ambrico’s veneer brick, there is no need for lintels, which reduces the overall project cost. Each panel was completed with full-depth mortar joints to ensure long-term value and is virtually indistinguishable from traditional bricks.

The Mall at Partridge Creek is anchored by Nordstrom, Parisian, an MJR cinema, and is home to nearly 90 specialty stores and amenities such as bocce ball courts, free WIFI, pop-jet fountains, a TV court, a cozy 30 foot fireplace, and several restaurants including Brio Tuscan Grille and P.F. Chang’s. With the help of the pros at Ambrico, Partridge Creek’s brick siding brings distinction to the complex among the other shops of Clinton Township.

Ambrico’s EZ-Wall® system is available in a wide selection of brick colors, textures, and finishes to complement the design and site requirements of any project. It can be applied in combination with other siding products and on applications such as chimneys, dormers, gables, or other areas were full thickness masonry would be too heavy and potentially risk damage. Ambrico’s seminars and detailed instructional videos have taught hundreds of contractors, builders, and homeowners to complete projects with Ambrico’s veneer brick system for an elegant finish that is virtually indistinguishable from traditional brick.

The American Brick Company (Ambrico) provides commercial builders and homeowners with an alternative to full-thickness brick.

When the Detroit Tigers moved out of their long-time home at Tiger Stadium and into Midtown’s newly built Comerica Park, the stadium lacked an original look and feel of authenticity. But the veneer brick experts at Ambrico (http://www.ambrico.com) knew exactly how to utilize their EZ-Wall® system to bring in the classic look and texture the ballpark was lacking.

Located on Woodward Avenue across from the Fox Theatre, Comerica Park is a $300-million dollar stadium that includes 70,000 square feet of retail space, 36,000 square feet of office space, restaurants, bars and lounges, and even a carousel and Ferris wheel. Known for its open-air architecture and lack of upper-deck outfield seats, the stadium gives visitors a spectacular view of the downtown skyline. However, despite its commodities and unique architecture, the exterior was in need of assistance from the pros at Ambrico and the versatile benefits of their brick panels system.

Comerica Park’s EZ-Wall® panels are embossed, architectural-steel grade, hot-dipped galvanized to G-90 finish, and holds approximately the same thermal coefficient as brick and mortar. Ambrico’s brick panels were attached to the stadium around the entrance and upper suite sections, producing the durability of real brick at an overall depth of only 5/8”. Each panel was completed with full-depth mortar joints to ensure long-term durability and strength while remaining indistinguishable from traditional bricks.

The additional enhancements made to Comerica Park were completed on schedule and allowed Ambrico to successfully provide the stadium with a renowned look of historic significance hoped for at a price within budget.

Veneer panels provide an elegant renovation option with all the luxuries of traditional brick.

WARREN, Michigan, September 13, 2010—Veneer brick pioneer, Ambrico (http://www.ambrico.com),
has successfully restored the Detroit Opera House’s exterior with its remarkable EZ Wall® System.
Located on Broadway Street in the heart of Detroit, the five-story opera house was established in 1922 as
the fifth largest theater in the world, seating up to 4,250 people.

Throughout time and many renovations later, the building’s surface had begun to wear and showed no
noticeable signs of the cultural significance the Detroit Opera House holds for the city of Detroit. The
thin brick experts at Ambrico consulted with the theatre’s staff to develop an alternative to a traditional-
brick appearance, without the weight and laborious upkeep, while giving serious attention to cost
effectiveness. The result was an elegant alternative-cladding system that preserved the look of traditional
masonry and provided the opera house with a stunning new atmosphere and the appeal it deserves.

Ambrico’s EZ-Wall® brick panels were attached to the building’s original facade surface and skillfully
applied, producing the durability of real brick at a overall depth of only 5/8″. The opera house’s thin brick
is architectural-steel grade, embossed, hot dipped galvanized to G-90 finish, and has approximately the
same thermal coefficient as brick and mortar. Ambrico’s veneer brick also eliminated the need for lintels,
reducing overall project cost. Each panel was completed with full-depth mortar joints to ensure long-term
durability and strength, indistinguishable from traditional bricks.

The Detroit Opera House restoration project was completed on schedule and allowed Ambrico to
successfully provide the theatre with the notable look of historic significance hoped for at a price within
the theatre’s budget.

About Ambrico
Serving the entire United States from its home base in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico uses its patented EZ
Wall® engineered thin brick system to economically replace and accent all types of siding products with
genuine clay, kiln-fired thin brick, incorporating the look and feel of traditional brick veneer in a wide
selection of brick colors, textures and finishes to complement the design and site requirements of any
project. Visit http://www.ambrico.com for more information or to receive a quote.

Thin brick pioneer Ambrico (http://www.ambrico.com) has completed the restoration of the Second Baptist Church of Detroit in just 10 weeks, providing Second Baptist with a historically accurate look while preserving an important part of the nation’s past.

Located in Detroit, Michigan, in the Greektown cultural district, the historic, multi-story Baptist church and office space included three building add-ons to the original facility. The exterior facade consists of 10,000 square feet of stucco, making up 80 percent of the total surface area. Numerous windows of varying sizes and shapes enhance curb appeal on the front of the structure.

Founded in 1836, the Second Baptist Church of Detroit is the oldest African-American church in Michigan, located at its current address since 1857. Situated in Detroit’s historic Greektown district, replacement of the exterior cladding would improve overall building aesthetics, and also protect this facility from further deterioration due to exposure to the elements. This project demonstrated the company’s ability to maintain the integrity of this historically significant structure, enhance the building’s visual appeal and duplicate architectural elements of the neighborhood through use of alternative cladding systems while preserving the appeal of traditional masonry.

The church clergy sought to restore the original masonry look of the structure and meet cost targets. An earlier stucco overlay applied to the building’s original brick facade had left the surface pitted and uneven, eliminating the option of restoring the original masonry. The materials to be selected needed to produce a brick appearance, minimize cost, and without the added weight of full brick. Original architectural elements, such as the returns to window and door openings, needed to be preserved without adding significant depth.

With special fasteners, EZ-Wall® thin brick panels were attached to the building’s original facade surface. Thin brick was then applied to the panels, producing the durability of brick at a overall depth of only 5/8″. The EZ-Wall® thin brick veneer panels are architectural steel grade, embossed, hot dipped galvanized to G-90 finish and have approximately the same thermal coefficient as brick and mortar. Double steel tabs on the panel penetrate the mortar and space the thin bricks horizontally. Continuous weeps, a design element of the system, aid in drainage of incidental moisture. The use of thin brick eliminated the need for lintels over doors and windows, reducing overall project cost. Additionally, the panels were completed with full depth mortar joints to ensure long-term durability and strength, indistinguishable from traditional masonry.

As a result, the restoration was completed in approximately 10 weeks, and Ambrico was able to provide  Second Baptist with the warm and historically accurate look and feel they wanted—at a price within their budget.

When McDonald’s decided to update the look of their restaurants, they decided on the timeless look of Brick. The issue? The restaurant’s did not have the foundation structure to support full width brick.

In addition, with thousands of restaurants to update, they needed to find a solution that was proven, quick to install, and decreased risk of faulty installation.

McDonald’s quickly saw the cost savings and benefits of using brick veneer and the EZ-Wall installation system. Not only would brick veneer not require foundational changes, it provided significant cost saving in both installation and transportation.

Thank you McDonald’s, and welcome to the Ambrico family!