Oldcastle® Architectural Renames Masonry Unit Cordova Stone™

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

Oldcastle® Architectural, the largest producer of concrete masonry products in North America, has renamed its PRAIRIE® STONE high-density, pre-finished architectural concrete masonry unit Cordova Stone™ “to better represent its timeless aesthetic appeal and artisan, hand-cut appearance,” the company says.

The company plans to unveil additional artisan product offerings in the coming months under the Artisan Masonry Stone Veneers™ brand.

“The rename to Cordova Stone signifies a change in demand from designers and homeowners for a handcrafted look and feel,” said Len Browning, Oldcastle technical advisor. “The new name is reminiscent of walking the streets of a classic European city where hand-chiseled stone outfits every building. Cordova Stone delivers this old-world look with the confidence that comes from quality manufacturing.”

According to Oldcastle, other than routine cleaning with a standard commercial-grade cleaning agent, Cordova Stone masonry units require virtually no maintenance and will last the lifetime of your building. Manufactured with a high-performance, water-repellent admixture, the masonry units repel moisture, resist mold and offer efflorescence stain resistance. Additionally, whether in a veneer or through-wall application, Cordova Stone is versatile and provides a high degree of design flexibility with a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Structural integrity and durability make Cordova Stone a well-suited choice for both commercial and residential projects.

Gables Republic Square & Hotel ZaZa
September 2026

Gables Republic Square / Hotel ZaZa is a 24-story mixed-use boutique hotel and urban residential tower with street-level retail located on a 0.75-acre site in downtown Austin. Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd. (CMS) was responsible for the supply and instal

The Science of a Straight Line: Why Masonry’s Smallest Decisions Make the Biggest Differences
September 2026

There is a unique phenomenon in construction: the human eye can spot an out-of-plumb wall from 50 yards away across a crowded job site. We might not always be able to explain the exact mathematical deviation without a laser level, but our brains instantly

The Utah Masonry Council's Masonry Education Day
September 2026

The 2026 Masonry Education Day at Interstate Brick in West Jordan is bringing together members of Utah’s architecture, engineering, and construction community for a day focused on education, technical understanding, and workforce development. The event r

MCAA Upstate New York: Regaining Market Share Through Education
September 2026

The Upstate New York chapter of the MCAA was established in 2014 by a dedicated group of both union and non-union masonry contractors, producers, and suppliers who shared concerns about the declining use of masonry. T