Our History
Henry G. Santi
Founded in 1924 by the Santi Family
Southside Concrete Products, the forerunner to Southside Precast Products, was founded in 1924 by the Santi family, as a manufacturer of foundation blocks for residential homes in the City of Buffalo. These familiar “cut face stone” foundations and cellar walls can still be seen on many Buffalo homes and commercial buildings.
During these early years, we also produced steps, simple caps and sills, as well as a wide array of ornamental products. Our focus on these products remained unchanged until after World War II. Change came when Henry Santi, the second generation to become involved in the business, returned from the war to work in the company.
The Emergence of Commercial Building Trim and Architectural Precast Stone
Under Santi’s guidance, the firm began to develop close relationships with building contractors. A new market in commercial building trim and architectural precast stone was evolving and it was an area of business more in sync with the company’s capabilities. In response, Southside expanded into the production of architectural design details and pursued projects outside of Buffalo.
As demand grew for more architectural trim, ornate work, special finishes and other products, it was a natural for Southside to develop this expertise. Throughout this period of growth, we continued to manufacture out of our original South Buffalo location, adding small modifications and expansions to accommodate new business.
Doubling the Size and Capacity for Production
In 1995, Southside moved into an additional facility, doubling the size and capacity for production. In 2001, we moved into our present, expandable 37,000+ square-foot facility – more than doubling size again. Until this time most of the drawing and specification work for large projects had been outsourced. Once settled in the larger facility, we increased our engineering and production departments and implemented an extensive quality control program.
As part of our endeavor to provide the highest possible quality to our customers, we joined the Architectural Precast Association (APA) and obtained the prestigious APA Certification. These expansions were a turning point for the company.
Exclusively Serving the Architectural and Construction Trades with Precast Stone
Now, nearly 100 years after our inception, we are exclusively serving the architectural and construction trades with precast stone. The majority of our work depicts natural stone in color and texture, which is the reason our product is called “Architectural Precast Stone” or cast stone.
Using concepts developed centuries ago that have been adapted to modern technology, the firm’s engineers and artisans produce such products as: unique archways and building trim work, monuments, logos cast in stone, and landscaping elements.
Rick Workman, President
State-of-the-art Stone Batching Facility
Today, Southside has a state-of-the-art stone batching facility with a dedicated team of sales professionals, designers, engineers and management to support all design needs. As our reputation has grown and we achieved the certification of the APA, our products have begun to be specifically requested by many architects throughout North America.
At Southside, we are proud that our enhancements to architectural designs will be enjoyed by generations far into the future.
