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The town of Pewaukee, WI, has been touched by something unconventional in most communities: the spirit of the Buffalo, and one of the community's newest structures — the Buffalo Building — stands as an example of this attitude.

When resident Stephen P. Juech, former partner at the law firm of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, discovered he had advanced kidney cancer, his friends formed a support group called

the Tosa Buffaloes. Juech, who was considered the group's "Number One Buffalo," wrote a series of letters to the group, including one which read: Buffaloes are a dying breed who have refused to give up." His inspiration came from author Bob Stone, who also had kidney cancer and wrote "Where the Buffaloes Roam: Building a Team for Life's Challenges." Juech passed away in May of 1995, and the building serves as a remembrance of him.

When Juech told his wife, Cheryl, to thank the Tosa Buffaloes for all of their assistance, her answer was the Buffalo Building. In an interview with The Milwaukee Journal, Mrs. Juech said, "People are uncomfortable with pain and the fear of death. When we fear something, we often deny it, discredit it, or ignore it. I don't think that's the way to heal."

Built to honor Juech as well as the many people who helped him and his family, the Buffalo Building sits naturally in its surroundings. The structure — owned by Mrs. Juech along with five family members — has 45,000 square feet (4,180.5 sq. m) of space. It houses four companies, including three firms operated by the Juechs' family members. "There has been a very, very special reaction to the project for beauty and other reasons," said James Heuler, Mrs. Juech's brother who served as the architect for the project.

Mountain Green and Lake Placid Blue granites — quarried by the Cold Spring Granite Co. — were chosen for the creation of this building. "These granites are native to the Midwest region," said Heuler, who is also president of Heuler Tile Co., the contractor for the project. "I was familiar with the products because I have seen them installed before."

The 10,000 square feet (929 sq. m) of granite used for the interior and exterior of the building was supplied through Stone Marketing International, Inc. of Houston, TX. In addition to polished material for both the exterior and interior of the building, the design includes a flamed finish for some interior areas.

"The design is a Frank Lloyd Wright prairie style," said Irma Lovelace of Stone Marketing International. One of the highlights of the interior is the buffalo insignia laid within the floor. This insignia, which serves as a centerpiece for the interior, is made entirely of waterjet-cut granite.

The installation of floors was done with a thinset application, while the walls were adhered with thinset and mechanically fastened. While the buffalo insignia is one of the building's defining elements, it was also one of the biggest problems

during the installation. "The buffalo logo is one piece of granite," said Russ Kopp, stone installer of the project. "The logo is between 300 and 400 pounds (135-180 kg) and it took four to five men to lift and adjust it."

The contractor used Mapei mortars along with Ceramic Tool Co. expansion joints to complete the project on schedule. Due to the severe weather conditions and continuous exposure to the sun, cladding for the exterior was detailed to allow for expansion and contraction. Construction of the building began in October 1996 and was completed in July 1997.

As visitors approach the building, they first notice a large sign that says, "The Buffalo Building," which -combined with the other artistic representations of buffalo — conveys a message from the family. "The buffalo is a symbol of thanks to those we know and a symbol to others that experience loss and the love that remains," explained Mrs. Juech, who added that the sentiment is shared by her children, Benjamin, John, and Matthew. "The love that remains is so important."