Redi-Rock and Novum Wall Support KY School Sports Expansion

The Challenge: Meeting Site Demands with Smart Wall Solutions

When North Oldham Middle and High School outside Louisville, KY, needed to expand their sports facilities, the project team turned to Redi-Rock K.I.T. (offering retaining wall solutions throughout Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee) to provide Redi-Rock and Novum Wall retention solutions for a complex site development challenge. A sharp grade change behind the school left minimal room to work with. The project required:

• Maximizing usable space for school athletic facilities
• Managing a steep elevation change within a limited footprint
• Meeting structural requirements under tight site constraints
• Seating areas for sports spectators
• Long-term durability and aesthetic integration with the school environment

The site’s topography and functional needs demanded more than a typical retaining wall system; it needed engineered precision and flexible design. Join Redi-Rock expert Casey Meadows and local producer Irvin Vittitow of Redi-Rock K.I.T., as they explore this project.

Delivering retention solutions as a team: Redi-Rock & Novum Wall

The project team selected a combination solution of Novum Wall and Redi-Rock to overcome the site’s constraints and achieve the school’s goals.

Novum Wall Specs:

• 1600 sq ft (148.6 sq m) of completed wall
• A 3-tiered design doubles as seating for sports spectators
• Alpine texture offers the look of natural stone and complements the Redi-Rock Ledgestone texture
• 4 ft (1.2 m) tall gravity walls, no geogrid required

Redi-Rock Specs:

• 8000 sq ft (743.2 sq m) of completed wall
• Redi-Rock 72 in (1830 mm) XL blocks at the bottom of the wall
• Ledgestone texture offers the look of natural stone with the durability of precast concrete
• 14 ft (4.3 m) tall gravity wall, no geogrid required

Together, Redi-Rock and Novum Wall provided:

• Space-Efficient Designs: Gravity wall systems use wet-cast concrete blocks to provide the mass needed to retain grade without encroaching on usable space.
• Modular Flexibility: Versatile and consistent block sizes streamlined design and installation.
• Engineered Wall Solutions: Massive one-ton Redi-Rock blocks provided the structural heft needed to retain grade without geogrid, and the additional completed walls met structural requirements.
• Aesthetically Compatible: Novum Wall’s Alpine Texture complements the Ledgestone texture offered by Redi-Rock, allowing for total design cohesion.
• Long-Term Reliability: Precast concrete construction ensures durability, withstanding Kentucky’s freeze-thaw cycles and seasonal weather changes.
• Competitive Pricing: Redi-Rock K.I.T. provided a cost-effective solution by bringing Novum Wall solutions to the project.

By combining Redi-Rock and Novum Wall systems, the project team delivered smart, space-saving solutions that met every technical and aesthetic demand of the site. The result? Durable, integrated wall systems that support student athletics and stand the test of time.