Burton Construction, serving as general contractor with Orlando-based RM+ as the design firm, hand-selected AFS for the project’s demanding scope. Because the Moncrief-Lenoir warehouse is recognized as historically significant at both state and federal levels, none of the original structure could be altered. AFS had to construct a complete interior buildout—a full building within a building—without disturbing the historic shell. 

AFS’s scope included cold-formed metal framing, insulation, drywall installation and finishing, and interior painting. But the contract documents only hinted at the complexity ahead. As Meow Wolf explained, “Our organization is known for being highly demanding, with a creative vision that pushes the boundaries of conventional construction.” That creative vision translated into owner-directed changes that increased AFS’s contract value by 18 percent—without extending the schedule. 

Photo by Applied Finish Systems.

Engineering Meets Art: Ten Sets of Shop Drawings

For Meow Wolf, architecture is an integral part of the visitor experience. Radio Tave tells the story of a small-town Texas radio station that accidentally opens a portal to another dimension. Every room needed to feel immersive, which meant every wall had to be individually designed and engineered. 

The result: ten complete sets of metal-framing shop drawings. These drawings detailed unique construction requirements for each room. Walls were set at complex and irregular angles; curved surfaces appeared throughout; five freestanding arches rose as high as 34 feet; and walls needed to support artwork from more than 100 artists. 

Most interior walls were engineered to specific framing gauges to accommodate varied art installations. As Lauren Stassi, Principal and Director of Architecture at RM+, noted, the scope included “framing and finishing walls set at complex and irregular angles, curved surfaces, soaring heights of up to 40 feet, and areas requiring a Level 5 finish for projection mapping.” Each wall also required specific Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings, with sound isolators built into the assemblies. 

Field Engineering the Impossible

One of the project’s most striking features greets visitors immediately: five freestanding arches, the tallest reaching 34 feet. AFS framed these massive structures without any steel support—a decision that appeared risky when the arches initially swayed several feet in either direction. 

The team devised a solution using metal strapping installed in 10-foot sections along the inside and outside of adjacent walls and the arches themselves to stabilize the structures. AFS built custom jigs for the top of each arch and cut all framing in the field to achieve precise curves. 

Across the 37,000-square-foot installation, very few right angles exist—a deliberate design choice to create an otherworldly atmosphere but one that demanded exceptional craftsmanship and significantly increased labor compared to standard commercial construction. 

Photo by Applied Finish Systems.

Soundproofing an Alternate Dimension

Radio Tave is Meow Wolf’s most sound-driven installation to date. Each room features a distinct soundscape, with hundreds of speakers delivering immersive audio throughout the space. AFS had to prevent sound and vibration transfer between rooms while integrating lighting channels and hidden infrastructure.  

Every room perimeter was soundproofed using two layers of sheetrock, sound caulking, and sound isolators at the top and bottom of walls. Each wall assembly included engineered STC ratings that were critical to Meow Wolf’s immersive audio experience.

The artistic vision evolved continuously, often colliding with completed construction. In one notable instance, AFS had fully framed, floated, and finished an exhibit room—only to be asked to tear it down. The artists wanted the ability to hang sculptures anywhere on the walls without regard to stud layout.

AFS re-engineered the entire room, installing 4-by-8-foot metal sheets to create a mount-anywhere surface. Meow Wolf assigned a foreman to act as an artist liaison, translating creative intent into technical requirements. Despite added drywall and paint scope introduced mid-project, the schedule never changed.  

A Different Mindset

Working with Meow Wolf required flexibility without compromising quality. Where subcontractors typically follow fixed plans and specifications, this project demanded comfort with ambiguity and decisions made—or remade—late in the process. 

Kevin Kramer, Project Executive at Burton Construction, noted that AFS “brings not only technical expertise but also a collaborative spirit that fits well within the immersive, art-forward world that Meow Wolf creates.” With more than 100 artists contributing, “each room was specifically crafted to the individual artists, and Applied Finish worked hand in hand to accomplish the goals of each exhibit.” 

Greg Tuite of Meow Wolf summarized it simply: “Despite frequent owner-directed changes and an aggressive schedule, AFS remained solution-oriented, collaborative, and entirely customer-focused.” 

Construction began in December 2023. To meet the accelerated timeline, AFS adjusted sequencing in real time, strategically allocated manpower, and coordinated constantly with Burton Construction and the owner’s representatives. Despite the 18 percent scope increase, the team delivered on schedule. Radio Tave opened on Halloween 2024 as planned. 

Since opening, Meow Wolf Houston has earned the 2025 Houston Business Journal Landmark Award for Renovation, the IAAPA Brass Ring Award for Best Food & Beverage Building Renovation, and two Webby Awards for Best Installation. Applied Finish Systems has also been nominated for an ABC National Excellence in Construction Award for its work.

The project is expected to draw approximately 750,000 visitors annually to Houston’s Fifth Ward. For AFS, Radio Tave stands as one of the most complex projects in the company’s history.

Conclusion

Greg Tuite, with more than 30 years in the design and construction industry, offered perhaps the ultimate endorsement: “I can confidently say that AFS is one of the finest framing and drywall contractors I have ever had the pleasure to work with.”

For the walls and ceilings trades, Radio Tave is a case study in what happens when artistic vision drives every design decision. From field-engineering 34-foot freestanding arches to delivering flawless Level 5 finishes for projection mapping to rebuilding rooms for last-minute artistic changes, AFS demonstrated the expanding role specialty contractors play in experiential architecture.

When visitors walk beneath those towering arches into a radio station that opens portals to other dimensions, they experience the intersection of artistic vision and construction excellence—where every wall, ceiling, and carefully applied finish tells a story of collaboration, innovation, and craftsmanship.