Providence Academy, a private school in Plymouth, MN, needed to accommodate a loading dock on the lowest level of the school in the rear of the building.

At the same time, they hoped to preserve a level green space near the school’s easterly entrance to avoid leaving a steep slope leading down to the dock area. Looking for a more economical and aesthetically pleasing solution than a poured-in-place concrete wall to complement the red brick exterior of the school, they found it in VERSA-LOK Square Foot.

A mammoth 275-foot-long curved Square Foot wall ranging from 16' high on one end to 4' high on the other not only facilitated the loading dock, but also created a large space for an elementary school playground. A smaller 2'- 4' tall Square Foot wall was installed on the opposite side of the loading dock driveway to preserve a wooded area downhill from the wall. To prevent access to the top of the wall, chain-link and iron fencing was installed behind the wall around the perimeter of the playground. Evergreens planted around the tallest part of the wall soften the appearance of the large structure.

The result: an attractive and safe retaining wall, a functional loading dock and a new playground at a cost significantly lower than the alternatives.