Stone veneer–faced precast is an economical solution to stone clad structures today.  There are many advantages of stone clad precast as opposed to hand set stone such as:  veneer stock is thinner than hand set stone due to anchorage points that can be closer together, stone clad precast can be erected in larger sections thus minimizing the labor required to install, and stone clad precast can span column to column which minimizes floor loads and reduces overall structural requirements.  There can also be significant schedule benefits to stone clad precast compared to hand laid stone.