Government & Municipal Masonry | Bi-State Masonry, Inc.

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Built for Public-Sector Work

Public-sector masonry work comes with a different set of expectations than a typical commercial job — bonding requirements, prevailing wage compliance, historic preservation standards, and a level of public accountability that doesn't allow for shortcuts. Bi-State Masonry has built its business around exactly that kind of work since 1999. Roughly half of our business comes from public bid contracts, and we're fully licensed, insured, and bondable in both Iowa and Illinois, with an A+ Better Business Bureau rating since 2008 and zero claims against our bid, performance, or payment bonds in more than 26 years of operation. We hold contracts with the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the Iowa Department of Transportation, and we're proud to be trusted by schools, municipalities, and government agencies throughout our service area.

Government Building Masonry & Restoration

City halls, courthouses, correctional facilities, schools, and other public buildings carry a different weight than a typical commercial structure. Many were built decades or even a century ago, with stone carving, ornamental brickwork, and architectural detailing that isn't found in modern construction — and many remain fully occupied and in daily public use while restoration work is underway. We approach these buildings with the preservation mindset they require: matching mortar composition and color, repairing rather than replacing original stone and brick wherever possible, and respecting architectural details that were built to last generations.

Not every government building is a historic landmark, and we bring the same commercial-grade capability to straightforward institutional construction and maintenance — brick and block buildings, additions, and routine masonry upkeep for public facilities of every age. Whatever the building's history, the goal is the same: durable, code-compliant work delivered on a public timeline, without disrupting the people who use the building every day.

Common Government Building Services

Historic stone and brick restoration, including carved and ornamental masonry
Tuckpointing and repointing on institutional and civic buildings
Brick and block construction for additions and new public facilities
Correctional and secure-facility exterior masonry
Waterproofing and building envelope repair
Masonry cleaning and facade restoration

Municipal Infrastructure Masonry

Municipal infrastructure — utility buildings, water treatment facilities, parking structures, and transportation-related construction — depends on masonry and concrete that's built to withstand constant public use and Midwest weather for decades. Our contract with the Iowa Department of Transportation reflects the same standards this kind of work demands: rigorous specifications, public accountability, and a schedule that serves the community rather than the contractor's convenience. We bring that same discipline to utility and infrastructure projects across our service area, whether the work involves a water treatment building, a public parking structure, or masonry construction tied to a larger transportation or utility project.

Infrastructure Project Types

Utility and water treatment facility masonry construction and restoration
Public parking structure and deck concrete restoration and patching
Masonry construction tied to DOT and transportation-related projects
Municipal building envelope and waterproofing work
Structural concrete repair on public infrastructure

Featured Government & Municipal Projects

Public agencies don't just want a contractor who says they can handle sensitive, high-profile work — they want to see it. Here's a sample of the government and municipal work Bi-State Masonry has completed across Iowa and Illinois.

Davenport City Hall — Davenport, IA. A full restoration of this historic stone municipal building, including precision repairs to the rusticated stone facade, hand repair of decorative stone carvings, and restoration of the building's historic stone clock tower — down to the tower's original clock hands. Work was completed using boom lifts and scaffolding to access the building's upper facade and tower without disrupting daily city operations below.

Mahaska County Jail — Oskaloosa, IA. Exterior masonry construction on this secure county detention facility, including the building's brick facade, entrance masonry, and perimeter brickwork — institutional-grade construction completed to the security and durability standards a correctional facility demands.

Water Works Water Treatment Building (Des Moines Water Works) — Des Moines, IA. Large-scale brick wall reconstruction and new brick veneer installation at this municipal water treatment facility, paired with waterproofing and tuckpointing to protect the building envelope of a facility that operates around the clock.

Anamosa State Penitentiary (Iowa Department of Corrections) — Anamosa, IA. Extensive restoration of this historic limestone facility, including ashlar masonry repair, parapet and turret restoration, stone carving and joint repair, and tuckpointing on the building's historic stone window arches — a large-scale project requiring multiple boom lifts and specialized access equipment.

Rock Island Parking Ramp — Rock Island, IL. Concrete restoration on this municipal parking structure, including surface patching, joint repair, drainage maintenance, and structural concrete repairs across multiple levels of an exposed, high-traffic public facility.

Built for Public Bid & Prevailing Wage Work

Public agencies have to be confident that a contractor can meet the administrative and legal requirements of a public project before the first brick ever gets laid. Bi-State Masonry is fully licensed, insured, and bondable in both Iowa and Illinois, and our record on public work speaks for itself: an A+ Better Business Bureau rating maintained since 2008, and zero claims against our bid, performance, or payment bonds in over 26 years of operation.

What Public Agencies Can Expect

Full bid, performance, and payment bonding capability
Licensed and insured in both Iowa and Illinois
Prevailing wage compliance on covered public projects
Documentation and reporting to support public procurement requirements
A 26-plus-year track record with zero bond claims

As a merit-based, non-union shop, our employees are paid according to skill rather than union scale — and that has no bearing on our ability to perform prevailing wage work. Prevailing wage requirements apply to the labor classification performing the work, not to whether the contractor is union-affiliated, so a merit shop like Bi-State is fully able to pay the required prevailing wage rate on covered public projects while keeping overall overhead lower than union-only competitors. In Illinois specifically, a portion of our commercial work is prevailing wage, and we handle that requirement as a standard part of doing public-sector business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bi-State Masonry bonded and insured for public projects?

Yes. We're fully licensed, insured, and bondable in both Iowa and Illinois, with the capacity to provide bid, performance, and payment bonds as required for public contracts. We've maintained an A+ BBB rating since 2008 and have never had a claim against our bonds in over 26 years of operation.

Do you perform prevailing wage work even though you're a non-union shop?

Yes. Prevailing wage requirements are tied to the labor classification performing the work, not to whether the contractor is union-affiliated. As a merit-based shop, we pay our employees according to skill level, and we pay the required prevailing wage rate on covered public projects, including prevailing wage work in Illinois.

What government and municipal projects has Bi-State completed?

Our public-sector work includes Davenport City Hall, the Mahaska County Jail in Oskaloosa, the Des Moines Water Works treatment building, Anamosa State Penitentiary for the Iowa Department of Corrections, and the Rock Island Parking Ramp, along with ongoing work under our contracts with the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the Iowa DOT.

Do you work on historic government buildings?

Yes, and it's a significant part of our public-sector portfolio. Projects like Davenport City Hall and Anamosa State Penitentiary involved detailed stone carving repair, ashlar masonry restoration, and historic clock tower work, matched to the building's original materials and craftsmanship.

What areas do you serve for government and municipal projects?

We provide commercial masonry services, including government and municipal work, across Iowa and Illinois from Des Moines to the greater Chicago suburbs. Our residential service area is more limited, but our commercial and public-sector reach covers the full corridor.

How does the public bid process work with Bi-State Masonry?

Roughly half of our business comes through public bid contracts, so we're well versed in the process — from reviewing bid specifications and prevailing wage requirements to providing the bonding and insurance documentation agencies need. Reach out with your project details and we'll walk you through what we need to submit a competitive bid.

Request a Quote for Your Public Project

Whether you're a facilities director evaluating restoration options for a historic government building or a project manager preparing a public bid, Bi-State Masonry has the bonding, licensing, and track record to support your project. We serve government and municipal clients throughout Iowa and Illinois, from Des Moines to the greater Chicago suburbs.