Lowery Tile’s first major project was St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island, Ill. Completed in 1968, it was the largest ceramic tile project within the Local 67 Tile Layers’ jurisdiction at the time. It featured more than 50,000 square feet of quarry and ceramic tile installed in “mud,” the old-fashioned trade term referring to the portland cement mortar bed installation system. The surgical suites featured full-height ceramic wall tile and operating room floors tiled with conductive mosaic floor tile. The success of St. Francis proved to be a springboard for Lowery Tile, offering both experience and exposure to enable the company to be recognized as a leader in the industry. As the economy grew stronger, more opportunities came for the company to expand. Residential, religious and municipal projects became key market segments to complement the company’s strong presence in corporate and healthcare construction. In these years, Lowery Tile worked on countless Archdiocese of Chicago projects, including churches, high schools and grade schools. In 1971, Lowery Tile Company won the Chicago Tile Institute’s Award for Excellence for the ceramic tile work at St.Terrence Catholic Church in Alsip, IL. Another proud moment came a few years later after being contracted to perform restorative work on The Four Seasons, an exterior mosaic in downtown Chicago. Upon completio of the work, artist Marc Chagall sent a letter thanking Joe for the meticulous work in restoring the masterpiece.