Charter Member of National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association
When the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association (NTMA) celebrates 100 years as an association in 1923, it will also commemorate the shared history of several charter members, family-owned and -run companies whose history began well before the association. One such member is the Santarossa company.
The Santarossa Mosaic & Tile Company’s history began when Domenic Santarossa, a native of Italy, arrived in the US in 1913. As a 20-year-old, he already had spent seven years learning the terrazzo and mosaic trade in Germany. By 1924, Domenic was in business for himself in Indianapolis and had set up shop in the building where the company still operates today. The colorful patchwork sampling of terrazzo on the original showroom’s floor still looks the same. Also in 1924, the company became one of a dozen charter members of the NTMA—one of five still on the association rolls.
Today the company, under the leadership of Dave Santarossa—Domenic’s grandson—is in its fourth generation with Dave’s son, Bobby, and nephew, Eric. Today the company employs over 100 technicians who are competent in installing terrazzo and a range of other flooring materials.
As one of the original NTMA member companies, Santarossa family members have been active through the generations on many committees. Personally involved in the NTMA for 35 years now, Dave Santarossa also served on its board of directors, his tenure cut short in 2015 when his wife passed away. He has also held numerous leadership positions with the North Central Terrazzo Association (NCTA).
“It’s been a good marketing effort through the years, NCTA and NTMA hand in hand,” he remarked. Mr. Santarossa said he has seen the NTMA expand from a marketing organization to emerge as the “ruling body in methods and materials” and establish a basis for terrazzo specifications. The association has also advocated for the industry’s success promoting the importance of skilled installation.
Putting their Heads Together
Mr. Santarossa said that his company has relied upon the NTMA as an informational clearing house for technical questions. “NTMA keeps us abreast of changes in the industry, new products, methods, and machines,” he explained. As problems come up, the association collaborates to share expertise and find solutions. “With members from all corners of the country and now international,” Mr. Santarossa said, “it’s going to add to the book of knowledge and experience with these materials.”
He has also valued having the “very rewarding” opportunity to build personal relationships with his industry competitors in a formal setting, with those in his region and beyond.
The Fortunes of Terrazzo
The Santarossa company kept a full schedule building schools, hospitals, and government buildings from the 1940s into the ‘70s, Mr. Santarossa recounted. “It was a pretty good market, and we kept our guys busy and earning a good income.”
Carpet and vinyl became more popular in the late ‘70s, but by the 1990s, terrazzo had a rebirth as the industry took new notice of its relative longevity, design versatility, and ease of maintenance. The evolution of grinding methods and declining epoxy prices also advanced terrazzo’s resurgence. Today, most new government buildings, hospitals, and schools still use terrazzo, he reported.
One project Mr. Santarossa is proud of is the opportunity in 2020 to work on a restoration of gorgeous Art Deco terrazzo that the Santarossa company had installed 90 years earlier in a Coca-Cola bottling facility in Indianapolis. The plant had been abandoned and deteriorated for many years; the renovation recovered some 70,000 square feet of historic terrazzo with stunning patterns and colors. The location was repurposed as a boutique hotel, The Bottleworks Hotel.
As Mr. Santarossa looks ahead to his own retirement next year, he foresees a strong future for Santarossa Mosaic & Tile going into its second century along with the NTMA. He will trust the company and its strong workforce to the capable hands of the next generation.
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