Archive for June, 2012
Historic Theater Facing Fines for Fallen Roof
A 30 by 100 foot section of the roof collapsed at the Midway Theater in Rockford Illinois on March 23rd. The historic theater is the gateway to Rockford’s downtown. The building features a clock tower, signature marquee and an intricately designed facade.
The building owner Peter S. Crane must complete the roof repair in accordance with a strict timeline or face payment of the full code violation fine of $45,000. City officials had originally sought $135,000 in fines because of the lack of progress towards repairing the unsafe structure.
Goal to Get Property Up To Code
City Attorney Jennifer Cacciapaglia said “Our goal is to get the property back up to code, maintain its structural integrity and as long as we can do those things, we are willing to reduce the fine to $1,000.”
According to experts, the remaining structure can support a new roof if trusses are installed. The roof must be repaired and replaced by November 1st, but does allow some delays in case of bad weather.
The Midway Theater originally opened on August 3, 1918 and hosted live performances. Able to seat 2,000 it was the largest motion picture theater in northern Illinois. The theater operated as a movie house until August 1980 when a fire almost destroyed it.
Concrete Expert talks about Mall Roof Collapse
According to Professor Samir Chidiac a structure analysis and concrete specialist at McMaster University in Hamilton, a well maintained membrane could have prevented the lethal roof collapse at the Algo Centre Mall.
He said a concrete building is susceptible to saltwater leaching through the material that would damage and rust metal supports.
Glen Day, a former roof contractor hired to fix the leaking roof back in 2008, said he had been fired from the job before a membrane could be installed.
Day said “we were going to put a membrane down and some asphalt on top but there was some issues with that because of the structure itself, they were concerned of the poor condition of the beams.”
The next roofing company replaced caulking around the joints and used a roof sealant system instead.
Chidiac said sealants are initially effective but can wear away especially when cars are constantly driving on it. He also said caulking the joints does not provide the same protection as a roof membrane would.
Mall Owner had Previous Legal Issues With the Roof
In 2008 Bob Nazarian, the owner of the mall lost a lawsuit from a previous tenant of Algo Mall. Anne Marie Letarte was awarded $11,000 due to her business being shut down twice due to leaks in the ceiling causing the roof to collapse over her restaurant in the food court.
That same year court documents show that Nazarian hired contractors Peak Building Restoration to do $823,657 worth of repair and waterproofing work on the building and only a portion of that fee was paid. Peak took out a lien on the business but it expired in 2010.
Building inspection reports are not being made public in the city of Elliot Lake regarding the inspections of the Algo Centre Mall. Back in 1980 when the mall was first built, membranes were not required.
Historic Barn Roof Gets New Paint
The roof of an old dairy barn in Fairbanks Alaska is getting a new coat of paint spelling out the words “Creamers Dairy”. It took Ryan Masson three days to repaint the 7 foot tall letters on the metal roof. The word “CREAMERS” is 67 feet long and “DAIRY” is 35 feet long. Masson who works for Dynamic Painting said “they’re a lot bigger than they look.”
Dairy Farm
In 1927, chicken rancher Robert Albert Creamer moved to Fairbanks and established Creamer’s Dairy. From photo evidence, the large black words were most likely painted on the new roof of the creamery when it was built sometime between 1940-42. The dairy operated until just after the 1967 flood. After his death the area became a state sanctuary.
The 250 acre farm was purchased by the state in 1966 and is now a 2,000 acre waterfowl rescue, Creamers Field Migratory Wildlife Refuge. The barn, farmhouse and surrounding 12 acres were listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Roofing Company Stops Work due to Alleged Violations
A condominium complex in Shelton Connecticut was issued a stop work order after the State Department of Labor found a contractor allegedly breaking the law. JC Roofing was found not to be covering his employees under workers compensation insurance and misclassified them as roofing contractors so taxes were not taken from their checks.
The roofing company also lacked fall protection equipment. The violations were found when OSHA was investigating the fall death of one of JC Roofing company’s roofers on February of this year. Roofer Joseph Amaral fell 39 feet while installing skylights at the condominium complex; he later died at the hospital from blunt force head trauma.
Stalled Work on Condominium
Sunwood, the 168 unit condominium complex is undergoing a major renovation with new roofs, carpentry and new building paint. JC Roofing will not be able to return to the job until they prove that they can comply with the safety rules and provide workers with proper salaries and follow tax regulations. Also found was that JC Silva Remodeling LLC, also known as JC Roofing was working without a home improvement contractor registration, which again is against the law.
Toronto Mall Roof Caves In
The roof at the Algo Center mall in Elliot Lake collapsed on Saturday. The 30 year old mall showed visible signs of leaking years before the roof fell in. In 2009, new owner Bob Nazarian said the leaks had stopped after a $1 million renovation including roof repair.
One person is believed to have died in the collapse. Emergency responders heard tapping from under the rubble when they called out for victims, but the area was too unstable for rescuers to go in. Crews have been working around the clock to stabilize the areas so it is safe to go in and search for victims. 22 people received minor injuries and 9 people are still unaccounted for.
Several Rescue Teams Searching for Victims
Rescuers include the Toronto fire department, police, EMT, search and rescue dogs and Toronto’s Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team.
The section that fell in was used as a rooftop parking lot. A mall employee said the two story mall was undergoing renovation, but none were major structural repairs. The 200,000 square foot mall had 30 stores and services.
In March of this year, the mall management pleaded guilty to violating the fire code safety regulations. The owner of the mall is reluctant to make comments about the cave in saying “going to be in the city hall to represent ourselves.” The owner’s son Levon Nazarian said “To those who have been injured, to those families of missing individuals, we offer our deepest sympathies.”
Replacing Your Roof Could Lower Your Homeowners Insurance
After extreme weather, your roof could need replacing. Most insurance companies are going to choose roofs made from higher quality materials that will hold up against stronger weather. Many new roofs are made with the heavier, architectural grade shingles. The extra weight makes them more durable and provides an extra defense against warping.
According to Royce Williams of Royce Williams Agency in Nashville Tennessee “What homeowners don’t realize is that when a new roof is installed by an insurance company they are actually lowering their own risk. These aren’t hidden savings. It’s fairly simple, a new roof goes up – your premium goes down.”
Ask Your Agent For Discounts
Homeowners who have recently purchased a new home or replaced their roof due to storm damage should talk with their insurance agent to see if they can save money on their insurance.
Ask your agent about additional ways to save money, such as choosing a metal roof and if you use 6 nails to fasten your shingles instead of four which increases the wind resistance rating of your roof. The use of qualifying impact resistant roofing products may qualify you for a significant premium discount.
Make sure your contractor fills out the proper paperwork and then forward it on to your insurance agent.
New Roof for Historic Florida Barn
The main barn at historic Robert’s Ranch Museum in Immokalee Florida will be getting a new roof. Located on Roberts Avenue, twenty historic structures on the ranch tell the story of pioneer families.
The 15 acre living history museum was originally the home to cattleman Robert Roberts and his family. The museum provides visitor’s with the opportunity to experience daily working life on a pioneer homestead and citrus grove from the early 1900s.
Roof Finished in a Month
Collier County Roofing will be replacing the metal roof later this month and should be finished by the end of July. The new roof will resemble the original roof in color and shape and will be a 26 gage Galvalume 5 CV Crimp metal roof system.
A high priority is being placed on preserving the original buildings to accurately retell the story of the ranchers and pioneers that settled in the area.
Historic Union Station Depot gets New Roof
In New Bern North Carolina work could soon begin on the roof repair of the Queen Street Depot built in 1910. Bids will be accepted from mid to late July and work should begin by September.
The new roof is the starting point for the buildings restoration. New Bern Preservation Foundation, the City of New Bern and the building owner North Carolina Railroad are hoping to make the building a ‘destination centerpiece’ for that part of the city.
Dallas Blackstone, past president of the NBPF said “the basic project we are trying to address is to secure, replace and rebuild all the roof sections to weather-proof the building, we can’t do anything inside until we do.”
Salvaging 90% of Depots Wood
The project architect David Gall of Winston-Salem inspected the trim at the top of the building to evaluate the condition. Gall concluded 90% of the 1900’s architecture design and colors could be maintained by salvaging and restoring the wood.
Joe Mansfield, president of the preservation group said “completing the roof will set in motion the remainder of the long term rehabilitation of the depots interior.”
Inmate Labor to Repair Jail Roof
The 256,000 square feet Floyd County Jail serving Floyd County and the City of Rome in Georgia will soon be getting a new roof. Built in 1982 and renovated in 1998 the 30 year old roof needs to be replaced.
During a mock fire drill they found damage to the electrical wiring, light fixtures and ceiling tiles caused by the leaky roof.
Once the County Commission caucuses approve the bid on Tuesday, inmates at the 828 bed facility will begin repairing the jail roof on Friday. By purchasing the materials and using the inmate labor, the new roof is expected to cost less than $195,000. Some previous estimates on the roof were around $900,000.
20 Year Warranty on Materials
Negotiations were made with the roofing materials supplier to ensure the 20 year warranty would still be valid using inmate labor instead of using a licensed roofing contractor. Chief Deputy Tom Caldwell said “it’s getting the best bang for the taxpayer’s buck.”
Once the work begins they will use helicopters to remove the heating and air conditioning units from the roof. The sheriff’s office found it is cheaper to use the helicopters than renting a crane to replace more than a dozen of the 60 roof mounted units each year.
More Troubles for Indiana Union
The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied workers Local 26 went on strike just after the end of their last contract that expired May 31st. Korellis Roofing is one of the Northern Indiana Roofing companies being picketed. Korellis president and co-owner, Pete Korellis called local roofing contractor competitors to see if anyone could help him complete an important project.
E.C. Babilla Inc. of Gary and Gluth Brothers Roofing Co., of Hammond sent supervisory personnel to help out Korellis on the 56 unit Northtown Village Senior Apartments. The construction is due to be completed by September 30; the project developer is Community Builders Inc.
Russell Gluth of Gluth Brothers Roofing said “Basically we help one another out when you’re in need and heck, when Pete made the call and said hey, ‘I need some help’, we’re here and more than willing to give him any help that we can give him.”
Ongoing Labor Strike
Korellis recent issues during the strike include death threats called into his office, feces left on the doorstep of his home and the tires of his vehicle have been flattened.
A lawyer representing the union said this is considered an adversarial approach and only causes more tension between the union workers and the roofing contractors.
Contracts have stalled due to Indiana becoming a right-to-work state. Workers cannot be required to pay dues or other fees to a labor union as condition of employment. The union wants contractors to continue to collect union dues from workers and contractors are concerned with potential liability if members decide they don’t want to pay dues.
