Subcontractor Spotlight: Cleveland Marble Mosaic Company
Cleveland Marble Mosaic Company (“Cleveland Marble”) celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio with regional offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, the company works on projects across the country that feature stonework — granite, marble, limestone, terracotta, travertine and more. On the Obama Presidential Center project, Cleveland Marble is responsible for engineering, supplying and installing the stone support system and granite cladding on the exterior of the Museum Building, Forum and the Library, as well as exterior site granite pavers and granite site walls.
Edward Drobnick, PE, Cleveland Marble’s project manager for the Center, says that while this work requires considerable coordination, the company’s outstanding and loyal crew make everything come together seamlessly. Drobnick has been building ever since he was little, crediting Lincoln Logs, Legos and his family’s mentorship for inspiring his interest in construction at a young age.
Lakeside Alliance spoke with Drobnick about the stonework on site, his greatest hope for the outcome of the Center and more:
What led you to pursue the kind of work you’re doing today?
I was always watching something get built or building something myself growing up — it was in my DNA! My Uncle Frank built industrial buildings in Cleveland, my dad was an industrial engineer and our neighbor Uncle Joe, one of my father’s best friends, was a mechanical contractor. If there was a product they wanted that was not on the market, they would source the material and build it themselves. They made a log splitter before they were mass produced from box stores and built a few pole barns. That was 35-40 years ago, and we’re pretty much still using everything they built to this day. As I got older, I picked up some carpentry tips from them to build forts, a treehouse and even a couple of single span bridges across nearby streams. They provided guidance for problem solving, which absolutely helped shape my career path.
Tell us about the stonework process and your work on the Obama Presidential Center.
Cleveland Marble’s job is to engineer, furnish and install the stone support system and exterior stone cladding on the Museum Building, Forum and Library, in addition to the furnish and install of granite site pavers and granite clad site walls. We also have the installation of the air/vapor barrier system, insulation, flashing and the caulking of all stone joints. There are usually four main phases of the work we do on any project, but because this project is so large, we essentially broke it down into six projects. Each one has these four phases running at different sequences. Our team has to be prepared to prioritize tasks each day on these projects to maintain flow for our installation crews.
What sets your business apart?
What really sets Cleveland Marble apart is our people. It starts with the great leadership and vision of the owner Bob Zavagno Jr, which permeates throughout the whole organization. We are blessed with loyal, bright, and hardworking superintendents and highly skilled, trained and safety-minded tradesmen who take a great deal of pride in their work. My crew really is unbelievable. They get the job done the right way and safely. We do not take any shortcuts.
What excites you most about being a part of this historic undertaking?
In a nutshell, everything excited me about this project. For one, having the privilege to work for Mr. and Mrs. Obama on the Center is the pinnacle of my career at Cleveland Marble. Also, being able to work with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects is great because of their use and understanding of natural stone. From the first time I saw the construction plans, I had never seen that much stone on any other project I’ve been involved in — so I immediately started building my team of engineers, designers, detailers, fabricators and subcontractors that I had in mind to perform this type of job at a high level. I am proud to be leading a team that is part of something so special that once completed, can be enjoyed by all.
What is your greatest hope for the outcome of the Obama Presidential Center?
For generations of people to peacefully congregate, play, learn and be inspired by the programming and wonderful project that the Obamas built for the world.
Meet Nia!
Nia was a summer intern with Cleveland Marble. By the end of her internship, she was so inspired by meeting the President and seeing the project unfold that she changed her studies — upgrading her minor in Construction Management to her major.