Case Studies

In a beautiful garden setting, Gethsemane Cemetery in New Hope, Minn., recently brought a master plan to life. With its 2015 construction of a community mausoleum and niche building, the cemetery sought to expand its above-ground burial offerings – and particularly its niche space. By doing so, this cemetery in suburban Minneapolis stepped out of the box with a distinctive plan to maximize space and complement the design of an adjacent building.

Gethsemane Cemetery’s new structure features one striking design detail – rectangular columns at each of the building’s corner, allowing for overhangs on two sides of the structure. The overhangs not only provide protection from inclement weather but also additional niche space.

The building features several selections of granite that coordinate with the Chapel Mausoleum. Accent colors from the chapel were selected as primary colors for the new community mausoleum building. In addition to coordinating with the Chapel Mausoleum, granite provided permanence and durability. On either end of the building, visitors behold beautiful images of Mary and Joseph carved into the granite exterior. While numerous religious-inspired templates are available, Coldspring custom-carved the Mary and Joseph images for Gethsemane Cemetery. Each additional mausoleum building around the garden space will feature different biblical images.

With the completion of the new community mausoleum, Gethsemane Cemetery has responded to the market’s needs while taking mausoleum design outside the standard box. The result is a beautiful new building in a serene garden setting that’s part of a flexible master plan.