At Riverdale Regional Park, in Brighton, CO visitors will discover a 1/14th scale replica of the USS Colorado, a tribute to all those who’ve served. Veltri Steel walks us through the meticulous process of building this architectural marvel in this article.
Of the millions of Americans who have served in the military, nearly 350,000 of them currently live in Colorado. The state has a rich legacy of military service in war and peacetime alike, and it is important to honor that legacy appropriately to remind future generations of their sacrifices.
[To hear how one Boulder area company is doing exactly that, visit https://www.veltristeel.com/]
As a company run by life-long Colorado residents, Veltri Steel is very familiar with this incredible legacy. And so, when they were approached to complete a large-scale naval memorial in Brighton, they jumped at the chance to apply their industry-leading skills to this incredible project.
What followed after this agreement is an incredible story of ingenuity, careful planning, and wide-scale collaboration—the end result of which will surely stand as a monument to Colorado's veterans for generations.
The project, a 1/14th scale replica of the USS Colorado, is located at Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton. The construction consists of 175 tons of steel, assembled on site and partially submerged in the park’s Mann-Nyholt lake, appearing just as the full-scale boat would when in harbor.
The sculpture is rendered in stunning detail, featuring an artistic yet faithful rendition of the ship which was in service from its launch in 1921 to its decommissioning in 1947. Throughout that time, the ship and her crew were active participants in the war effort and played a major role in the occupation of Japan, ultimately helping to turn the tide of war in the Allies' favor.
This installation tested the limits of the company’s project management skills and saw them using the full range of their capabilities in the assembly of curved, structural, architectural, and ornamental steel components. The inclusion of stainless and galvanized components as well as the challenges inherent in waterproofing a project of this scale added an extra layer of difficulty.
Despite the complexity of the project, the team was able to utilize advanced fabrication and welding techniques to precision forge and assemble each component of the project. In all, the project required the sourcing of material from 4 states, and a large-scale collaboration between contractors and designers in the interest of creating a monument that will stand for generations to come.
Speaking on the project and its challenges, a spokesperson stated, “This was a very complex structural and ornamental steel construction including slip-critical connections, between curved steel & H-beams, channel beams, and stainless steel. It is an actual sculpture, and it had to be watertight, too.”
While this most recent project is primarily ornamental in nature, the company offers a full range of commercial construction services throughout the Boulder area as well. They are capable of fabricating structural and architectural steel assemblages and providing general contracting and project management services.
The company adheres to a strict “customer first” philosophy, a management strategy that places an emphasis on safety, flexibility, and environmental sustainability. They are available now to collaborate with developers and project managers throughout the central Colorado area.
To contact them, visit https://www.veltristeel.com/ or call +1-719-250-0499 to speak to a representative.
