Newly-founded Nyack masonry company brings experience spanning the globe from Ireland to Manhattan and beyond

BY DYLAN SKRILOFF

Mason and brick layer James McKenna, born of County Tyrone Ireland, has worked in the masonry trade since age 16 in his native country.

The grit and spirit of his trade shows in his no nonsense and down to earth personality. He gives the sense of a craftsman when you deal with him.

“I’ve been taught actually by old school masons,” McKenna said. On the McKenna Masonry website he refers to himself as “classically trained.”

McKenna moved to the United States in his early 20s and for over 17 years has been at work in his new country, building brick and concrete high-rises in Manhattan, stone houses in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and going wherever the work has taken him across the eastern seaboard and central part of America.

McKenna recently decided he’d had his fill of city life and was ready to check out a quiet suburb he remembered in the New York metro area, and see if any homes were available. Fast forward some weeks and McKenna has now officially settled in the Village of Nyack and opened McKenna Masonry, a proprietor of all your needs in masonry and home building.

Some typical jobs a mason might be asked to do include laying a patio, stone and concrete work, foundation-building and walkways. McKenna said in the future he may expand the business to full contracting. He noted he can do many styles of home building if you are looking to add on to your house or build a new one.

Excellence and honesty are words McKenna says he lives by as a professional. “Honesty. I’m not in this for quick paychecks. I’m here to give you something you might look at for the rest of your life. I give an honest estimate,” he said.

Taking each job as an individual project is important to McKenna, as every customer and every property has its individual characteristics. “You’re not going to get just an ‘in the box’ idea from me. You’re going to get 10 different ideas,” the seasoned tradesman explained to the Rockland County Times.

McKenna said he loves the people and places of Rockland County. There is no doubt he will be successful and an asset to the business community and homeowners in Rockland County.

If you are interested in learning more about what he has to offer visit www.mckennamasonry.com or call James directly at 845-309-6080.