Location

Shrewsbury, PA, USA

Total CornerStone Retaining Wall Blocks

39,500 sq. ft. (3,670 sq. m.)

CornerStone Manufacturer

Owner & Developer

Engineer & Architect

Installers

Completed Year

2014

From a quiet hill to a bustling shopping center: CornerStone’s solution to a steep challenge

CornerStone 100 retaining wall blocks make the development of a busy shopping area possible in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Some developers might look at a piece of property with rolling hills and decide it is only meant to be admired from afar; certainly not a place to build a full commercial shopping center. And then there are those who see the same piece of land and, along with it, a myriad of possibilities. At CornerStone, we are always innovating with designs that range from simple to complex, developing effective retaining wall systems that make seemingly impossible commercial development dreams a reality just like Shrewsbury Commons CornerStone Block Retaining wall project.

Today, Shrewsbury Commons Shopping Center is situated on an impressive expanse of land comprised of buildings, roads, and parking lots. But it wasn’t always that way: the major challenge was that it was once a large hill with no flat areas to build on. The owner and developer had to build retaining walls throughout the property to hold up the necessary roads, parking lots, building and signs before turning it into a commercial center. This shopping center exists and thrives because it is anchored by CornerStone 100 retaining wall blocks.

retaining wall blocks Before

retaining wall blocks after

In designing and implementing this project, block retaining walls were built using our original product, CornerStone 100 blocks. CornerStone 100 retaining wall blocks were specifically chosen for their performance, looks, usability and associated costs. The largest retaining wall used ascends to an exposed height of 39′ (12 m). Stratagrid Geogrids were chosen for reinforcing the soils because of their excellent track record and connection data. This securely interlocks the hollow core blocks, drainage gravel and geogrid.

Shrewsbury CornerStone Block Retaining wall with maximum heights of 39' (12m)

Shrewsbury CornerStone Block Retaining wall with maximum heights of 39′ (12m)
39, 500 total sq Footage (3,669 sq m)

Where there once only existed a piece of hilly property and no flat land to develop, CornerStone’s transformative retaining walls have changed the landscape and now allow visitors drive into the shopping center and park with ease. This has had a ripple effect, impacting the community for miles around by serving them with conveniently located retail stores and restaurants. Today, there is a population of over 71,215 within 5 miles of the shopping center and it continues to grow, making this area exciting and poised for continued commercial growth. Households will drive for miles just to visit the shopping center, which include a variety of tenants including Pier 1 Imports, Dollar Tree, Fashion Bug, Shoe Show, Radio Shack, and a Super Wal-Mart. The shopping center is teeming with activity, drawing in thousands of shoppers as far away as twenty miles.

Not every obstacle is overcome with such a positive resolution, but when determined minds – the owners, developers and Engineers leading this project – came together armed with enthusiasm and a commitment to honest, hard work, the result was a success. As Shrewsbury commons cornerStone Block Retaining wall Shopping Center continues to attract more visitors, we remain proud of the work we have done and the part we played in creating this shopping center. There is always a chance of further expansion and we are pleased that our retaining wall blocks leave the door open for new ideas and innovation.

From a quiet hill to a bustling shopping center, this project is a reminder of what is possible when excellent service and products are met with great minds.

Block Retaining wall using CornerStone