TESTIMONIALS
Throughout the years, we have had the opportunity to work with countless architects, designers, general contractors, colleagues, and clients on many wonderful projects. Below you can find a few testimonials and feedback we have received from our peers in the industry after working with us.
“…In my capacity as the former president of a large construction management contracting firm in New York (HRH Construction Corporation), and now the director of construction for a large commercial real estate development firm, I have known Ms. Cohen for at least the past 35 years; she and her company, Miller Druck, have provided architectural stone on a countless number of large, architecturally complex commercial and residential projects that I have been involved with.
[They] go well beyond the traditional contractor-subcontractor relationship. [Miller Druck] offers an invaluable service with respect to providing intensive, detailed design assistance to many of the most notable architects, in their design of iconic buildings (e.g.: Frank Gehry, Robert A.M. Stern, Helmut Jahn, Raphael Vinoly, Lord Norman Foster, I.M. Pei, et al). Further, [they have] the resources to source different and unique natural stone materials from around the world - services that the architects I have worked with have deemed to be invaluable.
Further, [their] expertise in what has been, time after time on multiple projects, precise shop fabrication and near flawless installation of the stone in the field are, and have been for years, an invaluable part of the design and construction process.
There is no question, when [Miller Druck] is handling even the most complex project design, that the job will be perfect in all respects; [they] has impressed virtually every architect and developer that I have worked with over the years…”
Joel S.
“…I am an architect and specifier. I have worked with [Miller Druck] on projects that most big companies would say are too small. But [they] love any challenge. I learned a huge amount about stone, stone detailing and finishing from Barbara. [Their] factory and production are state of the art […] The work she did for our last project was perfect. [The] intensity of interest in anything stone and how to fabricate it is amazing. [They] are always going full steam and always solving problems…” (file link)
- David M.
“We have known [Miller Druck] for over twenty-five years and in that time have worked on numerous projects. With … most notably 101 Warren Street, Citibank Long Island City, 1540 Broadway, and many more. With each project [they] always shared [their] vast knowledge of stone and expertise. Barbara’s generosity as a teacher is well known, never hesitating to provide samples, mock-ups, etc. whatever necessary for our clients & projects...” (file link)
- Jaquelyn S.
“…In an industry that is mostly occupied by men, Barbara's qualities of strength and endurance have inspired more women to pursue a career in stone. For those who currently work in the industry, Barbara has inspired them to reach for leadership roles.
Barbara [and her team] has always been dedicated to providing exceptional service for architects, contractors, developers, and clients with the highest quality expertise and technology…” (file link)
- Richard K.
“I have been acquainted with [Miller Druck] for approximately 30 years since first becoming involved in Miller Druck’s project for Canary Wharf, London. The basis of our continuing professional interaction over three decades has been the persistent desire to understand installation and performance issues for natural stone and thereby improve the competitive role of stone in building.
It is the nature of my profession, as a chemist with a deep interest in stone behavior, to encounter the field through its problems. Therefore, my perspective comes from observing how individuals and industries respond to material challenges on the bad days, rather than when everything goes according to plan. My emphasis on the performance and problems of stone in historic architecture has provided an important perspective and an opportunity to understand how rare [Miller Druck’s] level of engagement with these issues is. [They are], first of all, proactive in attempting to understand both the materials used on [their] own projects and industry-wide systematic issues of installation, appearance, and performance. As new installation and maintenance materials have entered the natural stone industry with ever-increasing rapidity, Ms. Cohen has frequently engaged me in efforts to understand the potential ramifications of substituting these new materials for established trade methods. Where other business owners might have been satisfied to solve an immediate problem by the most expedient means and move on, she has never been satisfied merely to overcome the problem. Instead, she has sought to go the extra mile through additional testing and experimentation to understand the root causes and means of future problem prevention.
[Miller Druck] has often been keen to take on problems, that others have skirted, for the value that finding a solution would have. When adverse interactions between stone and materials supplied by other trades have led to complex disputes on highly technical issues, [they have] never shied from seeking complete clarity through testing and consultation. I’ve seen the attention and commitment that she brings to getting the material “right” beyond any possible commercial motivation, such as when a few square feet of replacement travertine were required for Louis Kahn’s Yale Center for British Art.
It has also been my experience that Ms. Cohen is a leader by example, whether it be in the office, the shop floor, or the building site. She has spoken often in my presence about her desire to expand roles for women in construction and the stone industry at all levels…” (file link)
- John T.
“[…their] encyclopedic knowledge, devotion to ever-higher standards, technical acumen, and compassion for the interpersonal side of design and production have no equal in my thirty-five years knowing and working with [them]. Barbara’s infectious passion for all things “stone” extends to clients, colleagues, and staff alike – all played out in her characteristically egalitarian manner, and on a truly global stage that Miller Druck itself often forged in foreign markets, never satisfied to merely “show up” or “do as the Romans do.”
In 1983, Barbara accompanied her father to the office of Cesar Pelli & Associates, New Haven, to meet with staff and review numerous aspects of stone installation at the World Financial Center, New York. Newest hire just out of school, I was amazed that my issues (for an exterior stone fountain that still graces the esplanade today) were just as important as any other on the job. Thirty-five years later, the same focus in her incomparable contributions to my renovation of I. M. Pei’s Kips Bay Towers, not touched since constructed in 1963.
For this reason and as an architect, Barbara [and her team] have been my “go-to” resource whenever a client group needs “educating” about options available, whenever what we might want to achieve in stone seems impossible, whenever the contractor is looking for ever-more efficient means of production while sparing quality always. She puts all through their paces with the appearance of ease – far from that behind the scenes as anyone who loves a challenge knows. Barbara Cohen thrives on challenges – a defining characteristic for anyone who has had the pleasure of working with her as I have…” (file link)
In 1983, Barbara accompanied her father to the office of Cesar Pelli & Associates, New Haven, to meet with staff and review numerous aspects of stone installation at the World Financial Center, New York. Newest hire just out of school, I was amazed that my issues (for an exterior stone fountain that still graces the esplanade today) were just as important as any other on the job. Thirty-five years later, the same focus in her incomparable contributions to my renovation of I. M. Pei’s Kips Bay Towers, not touched since constructed in 1963.
For this reason and as an architect, Barbara [and her team] have been my “go-to” resource whenever a client group needs “educating” about options available, whenever what we might want to achieve in stone seems impossible, whenever the contractor is looking for ever-more efficient means of production while sparing quality always. She puts all through their paces with the appearance of ease – far from that behind the scenes as anyone who loves a challenge knows. Barbara Cohen thrives on challenges – a defining characteristic for anyone who has had the pleasure of working with her as I have…” (file link)
- Philip K.
“…Miller Druck, Inc. in New York City is perhaps the most dedicated and passionate [company] involved in the procurement, fabrication, and installation of all things stone. I and my associates feel privileged that we get to work with [Miller Druck] on our projects. The knowledge and willingness to push the limits of what can be achieved with the material knows no bounds. [They] solve seemingly impossible problems and the results are always stellar. The quality and workmanship of any project helmed are unsurpassed. We have designed and built several large-scale residential buildings in NYC and [their team] has made each one better than the last. Marble and stone have become our favorite building materials because of [their] expertise and [the] firm’s artistry. [They] have introduced us to many new types of marble and stone and we’ve been able to create some beautiful installations with [their] involvement and supervision…” (file link)
- Jeffery H.