UPSTATE MASONRY INSTITUTE
Updated: 1 day ago
UMI is an Upstate New York promotion and technical resource for commercial, industrial and institutional masonry, and its services are available to project teams working here.
WHAT UMI DOES FOR THE INDUSTRY
The Upstate Masonry Institute is dedicated to improving the overall utilization of masonry materials of all types in the Upstate New York area on commercial, industrial and institutional construction projects. It describes its role as representing the masonry industry by educating its audience, providing the knowledge and means of increasing efficiency and productivity in masonry, and advocating the increased use of brick, block and stone.
That is a promotion mission delivered through practical help. UMI’s case for masonry is the argument owners and designers make anyway — stronger, safer, quieter, longer-lasting — and the institute’s answer to it is a set of free services that get a project team to the right detail and the right cost comparison rather than a brochure. Its tagline is “Masonry. For A Future That Matters.”
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND EDUCATION
CEU/PDH Accredited Seminars Continuing education for licensed professionals, delivered as scheduled seminars.
Lunch and Learn Sessions Bring a topic to the office; UMI comes to the firm.
Customized Training UMI will build a program to a firm’s specific need.
Onsite Reviews Field review of masonry work in progress.
Design/build Reviews A look at the masonry approach while the design is still moving.
Inquiries A direct channel for the one-off technical question.
Guest Lectures UMI speakers for university and student audiences.
THE MASONRY TOOL KIT
UMI’s Tool Kit is the page to bookmark. It collects design references and calculators in one place: direct design and energy code guidance, calculating development length, a lap splice calculator, a control joint spacing calculator, and the NCMA unit strength, thermal and fire calculators. It also carries Masonry IQ, basic patterns and material schema, points to whymasonry.org for the green, affordable, flexible and safe arguments, and directs designers to imiweb.org for IMI’s extensive collection of illustrative construction details and diagrams. Alongside it, UMI publishes masonry technical notes, masonry articles, industry news and a podcast.
WORKFORCE AND RECRUITING
UMI runs an active recruiting channel into the trade, publishing wage ranges, a craftworker application and a list of signatory contractors. Both experienced craftworkers and people interested in an apprenticeship are encouraged to apply, and the crafts represented include stone and marble masons, terrazzo workers, pointers, cleaners and caulkers, and cement masons. The posted benefits are the union-side package: excellent paying jobs, respect on the job, safe working conditions, quality and generous health benefits, secure retirement benefits and continuing education opportunities.
WHY IT MATTERS IN NEW YORK
UMI is a resource that answers the phone locally: an architect in Syracuse can book a CEU seminar, a developer in the Capital Region can ask for a design/build review before the structural system is locked, and a general contractor can pull the signatory contractor list instead of guessing. It is based at 6 Airline Drive in Albany, and its scope is Upstate New York and surrounding areas — so for downstate work, start with the national organizations and with NYSCMA.
VIDEOS FROM THE UPSTATE MASONRY INSTITUTE
WHERE TO START
masonrynetwork.org — UMI home, news and videos
Services & Education — seminars, lunch and learns, onsite and design/build reviews
Masonry Tool Kit — calculators, details and design references
Masonry Technical Notes — UMI’s published technical guidance
Signatory Contractors — who to call for the work
Recruiting Information — wages, crafts and the craftworker application
