Redi-Rock Cliffside Retaining Walls Survive a Tornado, Securing an Indiana Dream Home
Project Name: Coyle Residence Owner: Residential Manufacturer: Redi-Rock K.I.T. Location: Utica, IN Wall Type: Gravity, Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Texture: Ledgestone Year Built: 2021 Wall Area: 4318 sq ft (401.1 sq m)
The Challenge: Building Cliffside Retaining Walls.
Where can retaining walls built on a cliff that withstood a direct hit from a tornado be found? Utica, Indiana, is the spot, and Redi-Rock is the solution that the Coyle family selected to secure their new build at the edge of a 250 ft (76.2 m) cliff. With views overlooking the Ohio River, the Coyle’s needed a retaining wall solution that wouldn’t obstruct their view, provide a safe barrier from the drop-off for their family and friends, and protect their property from future erosion.
Kentucky-based Redi-Rock producer and installer Redi-Rock K.I.T. had to work around deep and dangerous crevices, as well as respect the existing cliffs to install the project’s 4318 sq ft (401.1 sq m) of retaining walls on this site, which was previously home to a limestone quarry. K.I.T. also had to install the walls before a swimming pool was added. The timeline and the landscape were unforgiving, and K.I.T.’s Redi-Rock walls needed to be, too.
Why Redi-Rock? Built Tornado Tough.
That gritty spirit paid off with the entire retaining wall project completed in less than two weeks. With Redi-Rock’s machine-set installation process, Redi-Rock K.I.T. worked efficiently within disturbance limits and carefully navigated steep drop-offs with minimal machinery.
Completed in 2021, the project features:
- Two-thirds of the property protected by Redi-Rock walls
- Gravity and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall systems
- 14 ft (4.3 m) tall walls
- Custom block color palette selected by the homeowners
- Natural stone aesthetics with the Ledgestone texture to complement the home’s architecture
- Fencing on top of the walls, protecting people and pets from the surrounding cliffs
"The homeowner wanted a gravity wall, so we were able to design as much as possible with gravity and use the 28 in (710 mm) blocks in MSE sections.”
-Irvin Vittitow, Director of Sales & Installations, Redi-Rock K.I.T.
Just two years after construction, a raging tornado hit Utica and pulled the steel roof off the home.
The roof landed on a section of the Redi-Rock retaining walls, breaking the fencing, but the retaining wall remained unaffected. Fencing and caps needed repairs, but the wall itself was unphased.
The Coyle residence, perched atop its scenic cliff, is a beacon of strength and fortitude, showing what happens when smart retaining wall engineering and construction come together to create something truly powerful. Redi-Rock K.I.T. took a huge, risky request, and it paid off–creating walls that will protect the Coyle’s home for decades.
Overall, the homeowners were pleased with the Ledgestone texture and wanted a retaining wall that would last forever, since this would be their forever home. Redi-Rock just fit the project needs."
–Irvin Vittitow, Director of Sales & Installations, Redi-Rock K.I.T.
Redi-Rock K.I.T. provides retaining wall solutions for the Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee markets, and this wasn’t their first run-in with tough site conditions. Check out more of their projects:
- Redi-Rock and Novum Wall Support KY School Sports Expansion
- Diverging Diamond Interchange Projects Includes 16 Retaining Walls
- XL Hollow-Core Retaining Blocks Optimize Gravity Wall at Airport
When you’re ready for serious retention power for your project, view Redi-Rock residential builds, or get pricing.