The YMCA of the
Treasure Coast, Stuart, Fla., is a cause-driven charitable organization
committed to strengthening its community through youth development, healthy
living and social responsibility. The organization strives to nurture the
potential of every child and teen, improve the overall health and well-being of
every adult, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The
YMCA of the Treasure Coast welcomes people of all ages, gender, race or
ability.
On
April 27, 2015, a windstorm and hail severely damaged the roof systems on two
of the YMCA facilities—the Richard C. Geisinger Sr. Branch and the SportsWorld
program center. The YMCA of the Treasure Coast selected Venture Construction
Group of Florida Inc., Stuart, Fla., to replace and repair the roof systems.
The facilities
The
Richard C. Geisinger Sr. Branch is the YMCA of the Treasure Coast's main
branch. It includes a pool, fitness center, gymnasium and sports fields.
Programs offered at this facility include a Teddy Bear Academy child care
center for preschool children, after-school care for school-age children,
summer camps for 4-year-olds through eighth graders and the YMCA of the
Treasure Coast Masters swim team.
The
building's original roof system consisted of 8,000 square feet of asphalt
shingles; 34,378 square feet of 1-inch-thick standing-seam metal panels; 5,382
square feet of low-slope built-up roofing; and 15,667 square feet of high-grade
purlin bearing rib (PBR) metal panels with a 1:12 slope. The roof systems were
40 years old and had been leaking for more than 30 years.
The
SportsWorld program center includes facilities for gymnastics, trampoline and
tumbling, cheer, roller skating, indoor hockey, basketball, flag football,
indoor soccer, archery and volleyball, along with a rock wall, a rope swing, a
party room for birthday parties, a snack bar and a retail area. In addition to
open gym time for children and adults, SportsWorld offers after-school programs
for school-age children, summer camps and a Parents' Night Out program.
The
existing roof system on SportsWorld consisted of 438,000 square feet of
high-grade PBR metal roof panels installed into the purlins of the building
structure.
Given
the project's size, the variety of roof systems involved and the roof systems'
ages, Venture Construction Group of Florida worked with roof consultant Blake
E. Joyce, P.E., LEED AP from Joyce Engineering LLC, Richmond, Va., and
representatives from Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc. and Englert Inc. to help
choose the best materials, systems and approach.
"Whenever
we have a large, complex job such as this one, it's our duty to take the time
to dissect and analyze the existing roof systems, the buildings and even the
drainage systems so we can find the best solutions for the customer," says
Stephen Shanton, president and CEO of Venture Construction Group of Florida.
The new roof systems
A
crew of 25 to 30 workers began working on the Richard C. Geisinger Sr. Branch's
roof systems Jan. 4. The design team chose an Englert standing-seam metal panel
roof system to cover 65,000 square feet; a Mule-Hide Products Silicone Roof
Coating System to cover 5,000 square feet; and a 60-mil-thick TPO membrane roof
system to cover 150,000 square feet.
On
the areas for the metal panels, the crew removed the existing roof systems down
to the plywood decks and discovered the plywood and insulation had rotted
completely. The crew shoveled fine pieces of plywood and insulation off the
roof and then installed new 4-inch-thick insulation and plywood to meet current
Florida building codes; fastened 30-pound felt underlayment; adhered Polystick® TU
PLUS underlayment; and installed Englert Series 1000 1 1/2-inch-thick,
24-gauge, 16-inch-wide standing-seam metal snap-lock roof panels with a blue
Kynar® coating.
The
roof over the basketball gymnasium was replaced with polyisocyanurate
insulation and Mule-Hide Products' 60-mil-thick mechanically attached TPO
membrane with heat-welded seams, and built-out parapet walls received custom
Kynar-coated blue coping metal to create a perfect termination and seal. The
new TPO membrane roof system was chosen to eliminate the leaks that had plagued
this part of the facility.
The
low-slope roof area between the basketball gym and locker room was covered in
Mule-Hide Products' Silicone Roof Coating System using a single-wide tank
spreader.
Concurrent
work on the SportsWorld facility began Jan. 18, where a crew of 12 workers
removed PBR metal roof panels and applied Mule-Hide Products' Silicone Roof
Coating System also using a single-wide spreader.
In
addition, Venture Construction Group of Florida workers installed associated
flashings and completed other exterior and interior post-storm repair work,
including replacing three windows, repairing interior water leaks, replacing
four large HVAC units, and repairing and painting more than 20,000 square feet
of Kynar-coated blue metal siding.
Challenges
The
Richard C. Geisinger Sr. Branch is a busy place with a high amount of
pedestrian traffic, including many children coming and going between 6 a.m. and
9 p.m. To ensure everyone's safety and to minimize disruptions to the
facility's daily activities, deliveries and material loading were scheduled at
nighttime and during other off-times. Some tear-off and installation work was
completed during the night. Safety personnel also were stationed on both sides
of the building at all times.
In
many cases, the crew only was able to work during certain hours. For example,
work on the roof above the Teddy Bear Academy ceased during the children's nap
times. The crews adapted their schedules to accommodate daily activities at the
job site and the constant changes in weather conditions common in Florida.
Helping the community
In
addition to accommodating work schedules to keep YMCA of the Treasure Coast
open to the community during construction, Venture Construction Group of
Florida helped the organization pay for their new roofs. Insurance payments for
the storm-damaged facilities covered only a fraction of the costs for necessary
repairs, leaving the YMCA of the Treasure Coast administrators unsure how they
would be able to fund the project.
"They
needed a lot of help; they were in a really bad situation," Shanton says.
"Venture Construction Group of Florida has been part of the Martin County
and Palm Beach County communities for nearly 20 years, and our team always
tries to go above and beyond for community members, particularly nonprofit
organizations. Giving back also is one of Mule-Hide Products' core values, so
the project was a wonderful opportunity for both companies to put these values
into practice by stepping in to help the 5,000 adults and children who visit
their facilities every year."
For
the Richard C. Geisinger Sr. Branch, 25 percent of the labor and materials was
an in-kind donation from Venture Construction Group of Florida. For the
SportsWorld facility, 82 percent of the labor and materials was an in-kind
contribution, with Venture Construction Group of Florida providing labor and
materials and Mule-Hide Products donating materials.
In
addition, the Venture Construction Group of Florida crews took some time to
have fun with the preschool children at the Teddy Bear Academy. When the
children saw construction signs posted throughout the facility featuring Minion
characters from the popular "Minions" and "Despicable Me"
movies, they thought the work was being done by a crew of the small yellow
creatures. When Venture Construction Group of Florida workers learned about
this, they surprised the children with "Minion Day," dressing in
T-shirts emblazoned with the characters and wearing Minion goggles. The
preschoolers received construction vests and stickers and posed for photos with
the workers.
All in a day's work
After
helping YMCA of the Treasure Coast overcome logistical and financial challenges
to rebuild its storm-damaged facilities, the Venture Construction Group of
Florida's crew successfully completed work on the Richard C. Geisinger Sr.
Branch April 28; work on the SportsWorld facility was completed May 26.
"We
are extremely honored and happy Venture Construction Group of Florida and
Mule-Hide Products came to our aid when we needed it most," says John
Lass, president and CEO of YMCA of the Treasure Coast. "They made sure the
job was done with integrity and quality, and the Venture Construction Group of
Florida crew even took the time to have some fun and amuse the children
attending our facilities."
Shanton
says helping organizations such as YMCA of the Treasure Coast is part of being
a roofing professional.
"It
is part of the culture in all my construction companies to give back to the
community, support local charities and educate residential and commercial
property owners throughout the restoration and repair process from start to
finish," he says. "Being able to help property owners rebuild after a
disaster strikes is an amazing feeling. I love my business, and I love my
industry!"
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