Quarra Stone Company LLC, a Madison, Wis.-based architectural stone cutter and supplier, is building a new production and executive management facility in Sun Prairie. Company officials say the state-of-the-art headquarters will serve as a beacon for architects and artists in Wisconsin and beyond allowing Quarra to continue serving a variety of high-profile clients.
“The growing demand for Quarra’s products, combined with the slate of exciting projects they’re involved in, necessitates a new, modern facility, which we’re thrilled to help make a reality,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization. “Quarra remaining in the Madison area will be immensely beneficial for job creation and overall economic growth in the region.”
WEDC is supporting the project by authorizing up to $350,000 in state income tax credits over the next three years. The actual amount of tax credits Quarra will receive is contingent upon the number of jobs created and the amount of capital investment during that period.
“Our new facility is designed by Snohetta architects, a Norwegian firm with offices in the U.S. To have them as our architect is unheard of and it’s probably the most highly designed building in the state of Wisconsin,” said James Durham, founder and president of Quarra Stone Company. “It will enable us to make much bigger, heavier stones, which is what our market is now asking for.”
The $17.9 million facility will allow Quarra’s production and management staff to operate under one roof. Its vastly improved production capabilities will allow Quarra to keep up with growing product demands.
“It is wonderful to have this facility coming to Sun Prairie,” state Rep. Gary Hebl said. “Quarra has done some truly amazing work and it will be a boon for the area to have them headquartered in Sun Prairie.”
The building, located on a campus with more than six acres of trees, will better align with the high-quality stonework Quarra does. The project will likely result in 34 new jobs over the next three years.
“We needed a campus with a higher-level design because of the market we’re in,” Durham said. “It will be more of a reflection of the work we do.”
In addition to the 34 jobs expected to be created by Quarra Stone Company, an economic modeling study estimates the project could indirectly generate 25 additional jobs in the region. Those 59 new jobs are expected to generate $128,104 in state income tax revenue over a five-year period.
“I’m thrilled that Quarra Stone Company will be coming to Sun Prairie, and I applaud WEDC on their commitment to economic development throughout Wisconsin,” state Senator Melissa Agard said. “It is critical that we are working for job creation and sustained economic growth in our state. I’m optimistic that Quarra Stone Company will have a positive economic impact here in our community, and I look forward to visiting their new facility soon.”
Founded in 1998 and currently headquartered in Madison, Quarra Stone Company is a privately held LLC. It provides custom-cut stone for architects, artists and masons for use in building restoration projects nationwide. It is the only North American distributor of Switzerland’s Vals Quartzite and Spain’s Polardur Limestone, just two of the many stones Quarra produces on a mass scale. Quarra’s recent, well-known projects include the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, the Wisconsin State Capitol and the UW-Madison Chemistry Building. Quarra will also be involved in the construction of Barack Obama’s presidential library.