Our featured project for Innovative Solutions for Re-roofing is The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, which is one of the premier performing arts centers in the Southeast with a growing national and international reputation. True to the spirit in which it was created, the Center is expanding programming by initiating projects on local, national, and international levels. The world-class Kravis Center opened fully funded, with a total construction cost of $68 million, of which a remarkable $49 million came from private individuals and corporations. The Kravis Center is a success story that provides communities worldwide with an example of a thriving performing arts center and a major community and economic catalyst. Set on 10.6 acres of property at the highest point in the city, the Kravis Center includes three venues — the 2,193-seat Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. Concert Hall, the flexible 300-seat Rinker Playhouse and the outdoor Michael and Andrew Gosman Amphitheatre with a capacity for 1,400 patrons.

Fall 2006 marks the Center’s 15th Anniversary season and the number of events hosted annually has grown to more than 800, with attendance of more than 500,000 patrons. Many regionally based arts organizations call the Kravis Center their home including Ballet Florida, Miami City Ballet, Palm Beach Broadway Series, Palm Beach Opera, and the Palm Beach Pops. During the 2006-2007 season, the Kravis Center itself will present more than 350 performances featuring acclaimed artists from every discipline. Established as a leading force in the social fabric of the community, its many outreach programs are as broad and varied as the community itself. To date, the Center has opened the door to the performing arts for more than 1 million school children as well as thousands of economically disadvantaged senior citizens, minorities, and community groups.

Our part came into play when Hurricane Frances came into town in the fall of 2004, in the City of West Palm Beach, FL. The high winds did predominantly minor damage blowing out copper soffits, metal panels, and copings of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. Three (3) weeks later Hurricane Jeanne hit the same building and caused major damage this time.

The flat roof was blown off entirely and the copper panels were missing, they were in bad shape.

The Weitz Companies Construction Manager for the Kravis Center immediately called Advanced Roofing, Inc. to perform emergency temporary repairs. A thirty (30) man crew was dispatched the next day to Hot Mop a two (2) ply temporary roof. The crew worked fifteen (15) hours a day for five (5) days until they were dried.

Advanced Roofing, Inc. was selected from a short list of Florida’s top-tier roofing contractors to perform re-roofing at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.

This high-profile project located in West Palm Beach, Florida, presented many logistical challenges.  For this reason, a site-specific safety program was implemented for this project to protect not only our employees but also the public which was a major concern for our Safety Department.

In addition, with over 24,000 man-hours that went into this project, it was incident and accident-free.

Shortly after the commencement of work Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma impacted South Florida. The winds which accompanied these storms exposed deficiencies in the building envelope which were addressed by the architect, Zeidler Partnership.

Extensive fastener enhancement was performed at the copper mansard and soffits which give the building its unique appearance. During moderate to high wind events failure was observed at the batten covers over the copper pans. In order to complete this phase of the project, twelve hundred linear feet of scaffolding was erected to access the facade. Advanced Roofing, Inc. installed stainless steel rivets through the vertical legs to hold the system securely.  Soffits were secured with a cleat and drive batten assembly.

The eight hundred linear feet of internal gutters on the original building were lined with single-ply membranes, and long-term leaks had deteriorated the plywood substrate. The damaged wood was removed and the entire gutter was relined using 5/8” CDX and 22 gauge stainless steel. Kemperol was selected as the waterproofing manufacturer for the gutters and planter areas as a failure and subsequent leaks were unacceptable.

Low-sloped roof areas were removed from the structural concrete deck and an APP torch was applied over the primed surface.  A 300 PSI lightweight insulating concrete was installed next, with a nominal per-foot slope where conditions allowed.  A Soprema two (2) ply-modified bitumen system finished the roof assembly.

Advanced Roofing, Inc. worked through the busy Hurricane season of 2005 to complete this project with no water intrusion into the theater and minimal impact on internal operations or show schedules.

The original system specified was enhanced when Advanced Roofing, Inc. delivered a twenty (20) year no dollar limit warranty with a 120 MPH wind rider.  Everyone involved with the project was pleased with the wind rider which gave them peace of mind with all of the storms that impact South Florida.