By Riley Simpson for MRCA. 

Aldrich Arena receives a durable TPO reroof that will last for several more decades.  

Central Roofing Company, based in Minneapolis, contributed to the renovation of Aldrich Arena, located in Maplewood, Minnesota, by providing a new roof for the 59-year-old facility. The company joined Loeffler Construction, which worked on energy improvements to the building, created ADA-compliant restrooms, repaved and implemented storm water improvements.  

According to Central Roofing, the firm used 487 squares of material to upgrade the roof of the 17,000-square-foot Aldrich Arena. The first step in replacing the roof was tearing off the existing four-ply built-up roof. Central Roofing’s crew then stripped off the insulation down to the existing vapor barrier. 

Originally built in 1962, Aldrich Arena hosts more than 100 high school hockey league and playoff games a year, in addition to concerts, graduations, craft shows and the Ramsey County Fair every summer. 

“Aldrich Arena is a classic indoor hockey venue,” said Mike Olson, estimator/project manager with Central Roofing. “This is actually the second time the structure has been re-roofed. The first reroof was in the late 1980s. Now it has a durable roof that will last for several more decades.”  

Olson said the roofing crew installed Johns Manville 60-mil fully adhered TPO, which has a state-of-art thickness gauge and delivers high-performance ozone resistance, cool roof reflectivity and overall weather resistance. “We rely on this TPO for many projects in Minnesota,” Olson said.  

Central Roofing Company, established in 1929, has more than 200 union employees. “We’ve worked with Central Roofing on quite a few projects over the years,” said Will Forbord, CPE, project manager/ estimator for Loeffler Construction. “They get the job done in a safe and timely manner. This project was no different. Once the best option was decided on, they dedicated themselves to reroofing Aldrich Arena.” 

Learn more about the MRCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.mrca.org.

About MRCA 

The Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) is an association of roofing contractors that have joined together to develop and administer programs and services that help member companies build their business, save them money while continually working to improve the roofing industry. MRCA represents the needs of the contractor to manufacturers, consultants and other regulatory agencies. While MRCA consists primarily of roofing contractor members, those in the supplier segments are allowed to join as Associate members. 

Photo credit: Central Roofing Company

With the ribbon cutting complete, the remodeled pediatric in-patient play room at the Children’s Hospital at HCMC in Minneapolis, is now open and ready for PLAY!

Coinciding with National Make a Difference for Children Month in July, the newly-renovated play room includes a reading nook, custom modular storage cabinets, therapeutic equipment and other enhancements.

“We’re all so excited to have this updated playroom for our younger patients,” says Rebecca DeRosia, senior development officer at Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, which coordinates contributions to Hennepin Healthcare. “The last time this play room was remodeled was in 1987. This new space will give our young patients a fun place to play and visit with family.”

The remodeling effort of the pediatric play room was sponsored by Central Roofing Company, Minnesota’s premier commercial roofer. The company, which has a longstanding relationship with Hennepin Healthcare, donated more than $23,000 toward the remodeling effort.

“The generous financial contribution from Central Roofing helped make the play room upgrade happen,” says DeRosia. “We appreciate their support with this and other projects that successfully connect our community with the needs of patients at Hennepin Healthcare.”

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, MN. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service, and metal wall panels. For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com.

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter. 

Jason Stock shares the 90-year history of Central Roofing and the attributes that have made their company a known presence in the industry.  

Jason Stock of Central Roofing Company sat down with Megan Ellsworth, RoofersCoffeeShop® podcast producer and multimedia manager, to discuss what makes Central Roofing a stand-out company. Central Roofing Company is a nationally certified, woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Established in 1929, Central Roofing has more than 200 union employees and focuses primarily on commercial roofing projects, exteriors service and metal wall panels.  

Central started right as the depression of 1930 began and has lived through many historical and economic challenges since their inception. Now, Central Roofing adds a global pandemic to that list of endured challenges and always comes out as a stronger, better company because of it. 

Jason Stock is the vice president and CFO of Central Roofing Company. He describes the company as a group of passionate individuals always looking forward to the future. 

“How do we get better, how do we get bigger? What's new and exciting in our industry?” said Jason, “[We] always face challenges head-on. We have a phenomenal team here. It's been a real honor to be a part of this group of people.” 

Central Roofing performs mainly large-scale commercial roofing projects. They also have the largest service division in their city of Minneapolis.  

"[I’m] very proud of our service department. They just work wonders and try to make sure everybody can stay dry and weather that storm,” said Jason. “We [try to] get another year or two out of someone's roof instead of having to replace it now, especially with all the material shortages we're all dealing with.” 

The family owned company also has a large presence in the community, putting on large events for employees including a big company picnic at the Valley Fair and a large Christmas party where Central Roofing participates in a large Toys for Tots drive. Central Roofing also donates to a slew of amazing organizations like Make-A-Wish, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans, The Gathering Place and supports autism awareness. 

“We are very big at the community giving. We do a lot of stuff with the vets. We do a lot of stuff with the autism community. I have two children who are on the spectrum, so its near and dear to my own heart,” said Jason. “And it's always been like that; how do we give back? Anytime someone has a charity that's close to their heart, we always make sure we give and support it." 

Listen to the full interview to learn more about Central Roofing and why they are the R-Club June Roofer of the Month.

Four different roof plans were created for the new structure taking Central Roofing Company almost three years to complete the roofing work.

Back in 2017, Allina Health Mercy Hospital had a problem. The Minnesota health care location had simply run out of space. The solution involved relocating and enlarging the main entrance, reconfiguring the hospital’s interior and adding a parking garage.

To coordinate the large project, Mercy Hospital partnered with HDR architectural firm and Knutson Construction. Using an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) process, the team was able to accomplish all the construction goals, including new operating rooms on the upper floor and other key additions.

“Mercy Hospital was literally busting at the seams,” says Isaac Bros, AIA, NCARB, project architect with HDR’s Minneapolis Studio. “We found the best solution was to relocate the front entrance to the opposite side of the campus. After that, the emergency department was expanded and new surgical areas were added. While all this was going on, it was important to maintain and strengthen the program adjacencies and flow of the hospital.”

The Mercy Hospital expansion was an enormous project, involving 168,000 square feet of space. The design team at HDR worked with the construction team to complete the complex, seven-phase project at the Coon Rapids, Minnesota location. Within those seven phases, there were 47 sub-phases of the project, resulting in a massive undertaking. Part of the project included adding a new medical surgical floor, renovating the ICU floor and expanding the registration and waiting areas.

Four different roof plans were created for the new structure. On and off, it took Central Roofing Company almost three years to complete the roofing work.

Tricky roof challenges

As the massive undertaking launched, Knutson Construction was brought in to build a new operating addition, central utility area and a parking ramp to a 300-space parking garage. The exterior of the structure was remodeled, and new roofing was needed in many locations.

“We hired Central Roofing Company to connect the older roofing sections with the new roof areas,” says Rodney Sessing, senior superintendent at Knutson Construction. “We’ve worked with Central Roofing in the past on a variety of other projects. We had confidence their crews and service teams were the perfect fit for this project.

“During the scope of this project there must have been at least 100 new openings made in existing roofs. Central Roofing was there for each one of them and did a great job.”

According to Bros, the challenging project benefitted from the roofing solutions offered by the Central Roofing team. “The roof was critical to this project,” says Bros. “Tying new and old roof elements to the hospital harmoniously was tricky and vital. The roof needed to maintain the proper drainage, expansion and contraction — all while meeting the latest energy codes.

“Central Roofing reworked the drainage to provide a better solution for the hospital long term.”

Juggling roofs and tradespeople

For the initial new roof areas, concrete decks were installed. Johns Manville primer and a vapor barrier were added. Polyiso insulation layers were put in place, then gypsum cover board in low rise foam adhesive. A 60 mil black non-reinforced EPDM membrane was then fully adhered to the cover board. The same EPDM system was installed on two roof canopies. Johns Manville Expand-O-Flash expansion joint cover was used for all expansion joint details.

With the existing roof work, Firestone Una-clad 24-gauge pre-finished sheet metal was used for coping and counter-flashings. Connecting the two structures proved challenging for the entire crew.

“After the expansion portion of the project, we had to do detail work on the older building to make the old and new roofs unified,” says Jay Sessing, roof technician at the Service Department with Central Roofing Company. “As the project progressed, we used core drillers on the concrete decks for the multiple penetrations. Every time a trade person had to gain access to the roof to work on the project below, we were right there.

“We probably dealt with 30 different people on this project. There were tradesmen, construction team members and the Mercy Hospital staff. Every time the roof had to be penetrated, we’d work with electricians, plumbers, HVAC teams and mechanics. We all had the same goal of creating the best roofing system possible to top the structure.”

Round 2 – Returning to Mercy Hospital

Following the successful completion and opening of the new Mercy Hospital, the Central Roofing team was called back in 2019. This time for a 7,500-square-foot temporary roof over a temporary entrance for the Emergency Department (while a new Emergency Room and entrance were being added), and to correct roof drainage and ponding issues on existing roofs.

“This was a relatively small project compared to the original project, but it was still important for the hospital,” says Kyle Forrey, project manager for Knutson Construction. “We relied on the expertise of the drafting department at Central Roofing for input and alternative ideas on how we could tie in with the existing roof.

“The different options Cindy Hillegass with Central Roofing provided us with in the shop drawing stages gave us confidence. With those drawings we were able to choose the best path forward to reduce the chance of water infiltration during the roof tie-in work.”

Working together

Now complete, the collaborate partnership labeled “Mercy-ALIGNED” by HDR, has resulted in an outstanding hospital.

“We were able to all complete this project by working together as a fully integrated team,” says Bros with HDR. “We had a multidisciplinary team of architects, health care consultants, clinical partners, designers, engineers, specialists, estimators, schedulers, constructors and trade partners all focused on the same goal. We had an expansive vision for this project. In the end, Central Roofing helped us attain that vision by providing roofing solutions to all the expansion and additions of Mercy Hospital.”

About Central Roofing Company

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service, and metal wall panels. For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com. 

Renovation and opening of the new institute to be complete by end of 2021.

When members of the Masonic Fraternity of Lodge 98 laid the cornerstone for their building in 1922, they could hardly have dreamt what would happen to their location almost a century later. Now under full renovation, the buildings will soon house the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.

Located on East River Parkway in Minneapolis, the 116,000-square-foot facility opens to the public in November of 2021. Thanks to initial funding of more than $35 million from Minnesota Masonic Charities, the institute will focus on the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders in early childhood and adolescence. But first the structure needs top-to-bottom rebuilding --- inside and out.

Extensive Renovation

The University of Minnesota purchased the 10.2 acre property in January of 2020. A two-level building is being redeveloped to include clinics, research facilities, tele-outreach, a dedicated community center, family-friendly spaces and conference areas. Previously used as the Shriners Healthcare for Children campus in Minneapolis, the land and structure were acquired with the express desire to create the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain.

“The scope of the project is basically a full renovation of the building,” says Bryce Frandrup, project coordinator, University of Minnesota. “This includes demolition and rebuilding of interior walls, new electrical and mechanical systems, and a total roof replacement.”

Knutson Construction was hired as general contractor to oversee the renovation. They brought in Central Roofing Company to install a new roof over the remodeled structure.

Upgrading the Roofs

While the current roof on the facility was just 20 years old, it was decided to replace it at the same time as rehabbing the interior.

“We won this roofing project because of our existing relationship with both the University of Minnesota and Knutson Construction,” says Mike Mehring, vice president of commercial roofing with Central Roofing Company. “The university made the sensible decision to renovate the roof now rather than wait until it started failing. With no occupants in the building, now is the ideal time to do the roof replacement.”

After removal of the existing modified bitumen 3-PLY built-up roof, the Central Roofing team installed several new roof systems. Johns Manville 4-PLY GIG System was used on two built-up roofing systems. Also included on these roofs were Type IV felts, Dynaflex Modified Bitumen base flashing, Energy 3 polyisocyanurate insulation and Fesco Cover Board. A Securock Thermal Barrier Roof Board was also used on one of the systems.

For a fully-adhered EPDM roof system, Johns Manville 60 MIL reinforced EPDM was installed, plus the same insulation and cover board as the other roofing systems. A self-adhering vapor barrier was also added. Gas and electrical conduits were set on rubber pipe support blocks above the roof structure.

Handling Challenges

The Central Roofing team worked through difficult winter weather conditions to stay on schedule. They met the challenges associated with installing the new roofing systems to the existing parapet wall without touching or damaging the top.

“Central Roofing was proactive in investigating, addressing and reviewing every challenge they discovered to ensure educated decisions were made,” says Trevor Dickie, project manager with Capital Project Management at the University of Minnesota. “The unique circumstances of COVID implications, a winter installation and material ordering delays made this a very demanding project. Despite all of this, Central Roofing completed the roof within an acceptable timeframe and within budget.”  

Goldy Gopher Fans

Central Roofing Company has a long-term relationship with the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities Campus. The roofing team inspects, evaluates and fixes roof on more than 280 university buildings each year.  This allows officials to give approval on small fixes that are needed immediately, along with planning out for full roof replacements.

In addition, Central Roofing Company replaced the roofing systems on the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs in 2019.

“Our team is always pleased to work on projects related to the University of Minneapolis,” says Mehring. “For this particular structure, we’re proud to provide a roof over a location that will help people understand, prevent, diagnose and treat neurodevelopmental disorders in young children and adolescents.”

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, MN. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service, and metal wall panels. For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com. 

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of an live interview with Jennifer Stone and Renae Bales, the co-chairs of National Women in Roofing. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast. 

Megan Ellsworth:
Hi, welcome to the Roofers Coffee Shop, R-Club Roofer of the Month podcast. This is where we highlight a contractor in our R-Club each month to celebrate their greatness in the roofing industry. Listen, to hear more about a great contractor.
Hi everybody. My name's Megan Ellsworth here at rooferscoffeeshop.com and I am back again with a Roofer of the Month podcast. So glad to announce that the June Roofers Coffee Shop R-Club Roofer of the Month is Central Roofing. And here I have Jason Stock to tell us a little bit more about Central and for us to congratulate them. Hi, Jason.

Jason Stock:
Hi. Hi Megan. Thanks for the invite. And Central's really honored for the award, so we're kind of excited about that.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah, I'm so glad. So why don't we start out with having you just introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about Central?

Jason Stock:
Well, I'm Jason Stock, I'm the vice president and CFO of Central Roofing Company here in Minneapolis. Central is a 90-plus year-old company starting in 1929 so it's been around a long time. We always kind of take honor with that, but we also kind of go the last 90 years have been great, we're looking forward to the next 90. So, always looking forward to that future. How do we get better, how do we get bigger. What's new and exciting in our industry. We always like to be a part of that stuff.
We've had an interesting history, obviously. If you just think about it, in 1929, started in the depression era. We've gone through world wars. Obviously the pandemic that we're just currently in and hopefully almost to the end of. So no, it's always face challenges head-on. We have a phenomenal team here. It's been a real honor to be kind of a part of this group of people.

Megan Ellsworth:
Wow! That's awesome. I had no idea that you guys have been around for that long. That is so cool.

Jason Stock:
No, it's always exciting when you're like, wow, it's been around longer than I've been alive. It's longer... Let's see, 90 years and I'm only 40, so it's totally crushing me. I barely even know anybody who's 90.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah. I don't think I know anybody. Wow. Well, that's really cool, and very impressive. And yeah, like you said, the company has seen things, between world wars and a pandemic and the depression, so you guys have really stuck it out.

Jason Stock:
Yep, yep. There's also been a lot of positive things over that past 90 years too. We don't always want to look at those negative items.

Megan Ellsworth:
Right. Well, what type of services does your company provide? What's your specialty, residential, commercial?

Jason Stock:
We are pretty-much 95% commercial roofing. We do a little bit of residential but it's pretty minor. Mostly like townhouses and that large scale thing. Fortunately, we're kind of equipped for that large project. Semi-trucks, cranes and Potains and all of those things. So if I showed up to someone's driveway with all of those things everybody would be really nervous. But we do actually have the largest service company in the city. 18 trucks go out every day with a two-man service team to fix everything from a leaky dog house to putting in new HVAC equipment. So, very proud of our service department. They just work wonders and try to make sure everybody can stay dry and weather that storm. A lot of times they can help, can we get another year or two out of someone's roof instead of having to replace it now, especially with all the material shortages we're all dealing with. So we're trying to get that. How do we work with our clients to get a couple more years out of it.

Megan Ellsworth:
Mm. That is brilliant. Yeah. How have those material shortages made you guys adapt with that service aspect?

Jason Stock:
From the service thing, it's just that obviously we want to keep everybody dry, keep the water on the outside. But it's been a struggle. Obviously everybody's trying to deal with that same issue. All of a sudden we were going strong and then, oh, no one has any material. But it's kind of like, oh, okay, that's quite the swing. We were fortunate. We always carry a pretty hefty inventory compared to most people. So we've actually been able to kind of keep going and working through this bits but, watching all those pieces have always been an important one. Our team has definitely worked really hard and diligent just to kind of to stay out in front of it, keep our clients informed. Nobody likes giving that, oh, by the way, we're not coming next week. We don't have anything to roof with. Some clients have been okay with it. Some have not. So like I said, the service team has been able to kind of like, okay, where are the troubled areas? Let's get through this bump together.

Megan Ellsworth:
Right. Brilliant.

Jason Stock:
Otherwise, the other thing we really surprisingly do a lot is historical work.

Megan Ellsworth:
Oh, cool!

Jason Stock:
We love those old buildings, the ones from the 1800s that were old even when Central started. It's always kind of an exciting one because you start digging into these things and what you find in building techniques and practices from way back then to today's standards are so different.

Megan Ellsworth:
I'm sure.

Jason Stock:
But we always like that project that we feel no one else can do it, that's the project for us.

Megan Ellsworth:
Oh, I love that. That's a nice little slogan. What's something special that your company celebrates, whether it's restoration on old buildings, or actually celebrating a holiday with your team? Or just celebrating small achievements from team members. What do you guys really cherish over at Central?

Jason Stock:
We've always felt, obviously Central's a family-owned company and we always feel like we're pretty blessed to be a part of this organization, so we always want to make sure that we celebrate those events that happen in everybody's lives. We always have the big company picnic out at Valley Fair. We have a Christmas party where Santa comes and all the kids that see him. We do the big Toys for Tots drives for Christmas, where everybody comes to the holiday party, they bring toys and trailers of toys go off for the Toys for Tots.

Megan Ellsworth:
That's awesome.

Jason Stock:
We are very big at the community giving. We do a lot of stuff with the vets. We do a lot of stuff with the autism community. I have two children who are on the spectrum, so kind of close, near and dear to my own heart. We've done the Fraser House with Pulling Together. It's just always been that, how do we give back? Anytime someone has a charity that's close to their heart, we always make sure we give and give support to it. So we do a lot of Make-A-Wish. There's another one that's similar to that. We have scleroderma and all of the programs that touch everybody's lives.
I'm always amazed in this industry, how closely-knit of a family that organizations become. One of our workers, his little daughter came down with leukemia and everybody was so supportive from giving, helping fund it, to making sure everyone stays together. So if one person gets hurt, they really come together to promote each other and it's just such a unique experience to see the teamwork and the family atmosphere that's developed here and hopefully in other places, that everybody wants to be able to give back to that community. We always feel like we're a part of the community, so we've got to make sure we're always trying to be a positive influence in it also.

Megan Ellsworth:
Wow! Wow, you guys are really keeping busy over there. That's wonderful. It's so important to stay a part of the community and to give back as much as you can. So thank you for all you guys do.

Jason Stock:
Oh, no. Like I said, it's always our pleasure. I actually started doing the... I'm on the board of Fraser. I joined two years ago. And Diane, the CEO there, she always said that everybody gets a bigger pleasure in life giving than receiving. And it's one of those things you really actually start to feel, that when you start to go out of these ways, and how you can change people's lives or make them better and be a part of that. Everybody kind of feels like, oh, we're just this roofing company. It's like, no, you can be so much more than that. And that's what I think we try to bring to our, our whole team brings that piece in, is that, yeah, we do roofing, but we also want to do so much more. And that's always like a nice plus, because like I said, you get the team involvement. And I know more of our worker's wive's and children's names than half the workers. Don't tell them. Just because, like I said, everyone comes together. I love going to the Valley Fair and seeing all the smiling faces and those things, so it's always a blessing that we've grown to the size to be able to do those kinds of fun things.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah. That's great. Well, I'm interested in this next question. How do you guys define superior customer service?

Jason Stock:
Wow. That's kind of a tough one.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah. A heavy hitter.

Jason Stock:
Let's see. Obviously, we can use the same saying. We've always wanted that under-promise, over-deliver. We always set a goal that we want to make sure we're meeting or exceeding your expectations on everything. We've come into projects that, we want to make sure that one, we have the rule it always has to get done. No matter what happens, when you start a project you have to get it done. And a lot of organizations I've seen kind of sometimes struggle. It's like everybody can get to that 90% mark really quick. And I know even we've struggled with that last 10 now and then. It's like, no, no, just what does it take to get it done? Because that's what the customer really want. They want to go, "Oh, and I don't want the puddle coming in my ceiling anymore. And I don't want to see your trucks out in front of my building anymore."
So, making sure that you're taking care of everybody from their paperwork, documentation, that list keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. And ultimately just being able to get it done in a nice, clean, organized fashion. At the end of the day, the roofing trade is a professional workmanship trades industry. We want to make sure we're always acting like professionals and getting the job done.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah, precisely. You couldn't have said it better. So why should homeowners or building owners work with Central?

Jason Stock:
A good reason to work with Central is like I said, when you have that complex project that's not the normal, we're able to get it done. We have the expertise from... We have Mike Mehring in the sales, and Lloyd and Warren who've all been doing this for so long that, if they haven't seen it and you surprise them, then I'm really shocked. But we're able to work with inside of people's budgets, make sure they get what they want. So it's kind of like when it's price-driven, what can we do budget friendly for someone to get it done and make it last a little longer? How can we take that unique project that takes our true craftsmanship from our metal workers doing the hand soldering, the forming and all that stuff, how do we get into that? Doing the project no one's touched in a hundred years. Taking the tile off, putting it back and making sure it looks historically accurate. You choose us because you have something different and that's a concern and we're going to take that to heart.
When I started my roofing industry it was in the residential sector, and I was always told make sure to protect every bush and flower as if it was your own, or in my case as if it was my mother's. And I knew never step on them. So, finding out what's important to that customer, to find out what's the biggest issue you're going to find and how can we make it better for you to get through this process. Because I always say, I'm like, residential or commercial, in the commercial sector, everybody's still working in their buildings when you're on them. And I always say, if you're doing someone's house, ask them to go away. It's the loudest experience. I don't know if you've ever been through a reroof on your house, but it's loud.
So, find out what are the important things. What can you do to make that project go easier for them. Trying to stay budget conscious. And like I said, in this case, material shortages, we've been building up our inventory for a couple of months now just because we kind of thought something like this would come. We're actually sitting and our crews are still working and we've talked to some other people in our local area and they're like, "Yeah, we can't get anything." And our trucks have stopped coming in as frequently as everybody else's but we still have quite a bit sitting in our warehouse to make sure that we keep going.

Megan Ellsworth:
That's awesome.

Jason Stock:
I always wanted to make sure to get their project done, and at the end of the day everybody wants that. No one wants it to drag on forever.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah. Precisely. Well, you guys have something very special over there at Central Roofing, so congrats on being Roofer of the Month.

Jason Stock:
Oh, thank you.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yeah. Thank you so much for everything that you guys do. You are a pillar of excellence, truly, so we appreciate you.

Jason Stock:
That's like the nicest thing people can say to me.

Megan Ellsworth:
Yay! It's true. And we're so happy to give you Roofer of the Month, and hopefully we'll see you at the coffee break.

Jason Stock:
I will do my best. Thank you.

Megan Ellsworth:
Thank you so much, Jason. Any last words?

Jason Stock:
Nope. Everybody stay safe out there. Obviously safety is key for everything so we want to make sure that... We all do a very hard job in this industry and we want to make sure everybody goes home at night to see their families and do what they're supposed to do. So, stay safe.

Megan Ellsworth:
Awesome. Thank you so much. Have a great day.

Jason Stock:
Thanks, Megan.

Megan Ellsworth:
For more, go to rooferscoffeeshop.com and become an R-Club member. If you're a contractor in the roofing industry, we want to hear from you. Join our forums and connect with other contractors near you.

Central Roofing Company's preventive inspections are key to maintaining the roofs of First Industrial Realty Trust properties.

From the Best Buys® warehouse in Bloomington to General Pet Supply in Burnsville, First Industrial Realty Trust relies on Central Roofing Company to maintain the roofs on 17 of their properties in the Twin Cities area.

This includes the recent roof replacement on the Continental Distribution facility in Shakopee, MN.

“We’ve used Central Roofing Company since 2014 for roof preventive maintenance on our properties,” says Jeff Tuchtenhagen, senior facilities manager with First Industrial Realty Trust out of Eden Prairie, MN. “We’re a leading owner, operator and developer of logistics real estate. That brings with it a responsibility to maintain our properties. In the Twin Cities area, all of our distribution centers, research and development properties and warehouses are on this program to assure the roofs on our structures stay safe and secure.”

Time for a New Roof

During the regular Preventive Maintenance Inspections, Central Roofing’s Jon Meyer closely watches the roofs on all 17 facilities. He’s been doing this once a year for the last decade.

Meyer had the roof on the Continental Distribution location on his top priority list in recent years. The 22-year-old ballasted roof was starting to have a significant amount of leaks. The facility, which is leased to BakeMark USA, is a wholesale bakery distribution center. Tuchtenhagen and the First Industrial Realty team agreed with Meyer’s recommendation to have a new roof installed so that materials within the facility were not potentially damaged with water leaks.

“Central Roofing’s work is always top notch and very professional,” says Tuchtenhagen. “They inform us when they’ll be on site. Then they keep us updated of any concerns that may come up with the roofs. They’re exceptionally good at identifying potential future roof problems. This gives us time to make decisions on how to repair those roofs before we have major issues.

“In the case of the Continental Distribution facility, we were able to plan for the roof replacement because Central Roofing was carefully documenting the deterioration of the roof over time. That’s where the preventive maintenance really pays off.”

Maintaining Roofs

In 2019 Central Roofing replaced the failing roof on the Continental Distribution location. The 203,280 square-foot industrial property, which was originally built in 1997, now has a new fully-adhered EPDM roof system installed.

“We covered the equivalent space of 4.6 acres on this roof,” says Jon Meyer, project manager with Central Roofing Company. “That’s a massive undertaking, but our team was able to complete the work in less than four months.

“The Preventive Maintenance Inspections allow us to identify and address the normal wear and tear on the roof before it becomes a major issue. This structure is now more secure with a dependable roof that will last many years into the future.”

That’s good news for the management team at First Industrial Realty Trust.

“We’re responsible for every aspect of the buildings we lease,” says Tuchtenhagen. “It’s very important to have the Central Roofing crew on our roofs so we can watch the progress of our roofs over time. This way, we can stay on top of any major issues. This keeps our tenants happy with the buildings.”

The 10 properties that Central Roofing Company performs preventative maintenance inspections and work on in the Twin Cities area include Aldrin Distribution Center, Best Buy Warehouse, City West, Continental Distribution, General Pet, Interstate Distribution Centers I, II and III, Lone Oak I and II, Nathan 54, Park 2000 I and II, Rivertown Distribution Center, Technology Park I, and Valley Oak Distribution Center.

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, MN. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service, and metal wall panels.

For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com. 

The steeple suffered from leaks and woodpecker holes, which is when church leaders knew it was time to for a change.

The real cedar shingles on the steeple atop the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Taylor Falls, Minnesota lasted more than 100 years. Then, between leaks and woodpecker holes, church leaders knew it was time for a change. That’s when they hired Central Roofing Company to install a new custom copper steeple.

“The woodpeckers had created several holes you could put your fist through in the steeple,” says Donald S. Hansen, a 20+ year member of the church. “We had been putting off the decision to replace the steeple. Finally the leaks and the woodpecker holes made it important to get the job done immediately.”

Replacement challenges

Members of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church really didn’t want to see the wood shingles go. Covered in old growth Cedar, it had been in place since the brick church was erected in 1903. Over the years the church grew and had many changes, but the wood shake steeple was always there.

When it became very evident the steeple needed a new covering, the church’s Property Committee began investigating options and contacting roofing companies.

“The height of the structure makes this project a bit complicated,” says Hansen, who served on the Property Committee. “Some roofers backed away from the project. Not Central Roofing. They came back to us with both steel and copper custom made options along with a game plan for installation."

Creating a custom steeple

The 100-member church decided on a copper steeple, in large part because of the longevity copper offers. While more expensive than steel, the 100-year life expectancy of copper made it worth the investment.

“This is a beautiful steeple,” says Scott Kostka, senior project manager with Central Roofing Company of Minneapolis. “We started the project by removing the old wooden shingles and patching the areas of rotten or damaged decking. The woodpeckers really had a feast on the wood.

“Using a 120-foot man lift on the church site, we next installed new high-temperature self-adhering underlayment. Then came the 16-ounce flat seam copper panels we had created. The result is simply a stunning new steeple.”

Dedicated roofing team

“We’re extremely grateful to Central Roofing for taking such care with this project,” says Hansen. “One concern we had was that they would start the work and then leave for another job. That simply didn’t happen. They told us they’d work every day on the steeple until it was done, and they did.

“Even with COVID restrictions, this roofing team was on time and dedicated to the success of this job. The Central Roofing employees were excellent.”

With the new steeple now in place, church members have enjoyed watching the copper slowly age.

“It’s starting to shift with the seasons,” says Hansen. “While it was a gleaming copper in late autumn when installed, we’ve seen it slowly start to patina. We feel a bit like the original church founders must have felt. They watched the new cedar shingles age over time. Now we have the opportunity to watch the copper roof gracefully age with our church’s longevity.”

About Central Roofing Company

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service and metal wall panels. For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com. 

With a motto of "When Blessed, Be a Blessing," Central Roofing Company was more than willing to sponsor this event that raises funds and awareness for autism efforts.

Sunny skies, dedicated volunteers and strong fundraising efforts all combined to surpass the 2021 fundraising goal for the Fraser Festival for Autism presented by Central Roofing Company. More than $160,000 was raised in the yearly outdoor event, exceeding the non-profit organization’s goal of $135,000.

“We are honored to sponsor this important event that raises both funds and awareness for autism efforts in our community,” says Jason Stock, vice president and CFO of Central Roofing Company. “This hardworking organization shines a spotlight on autism. At Central Roofing, our informal motto is ‘When Blessed, Be a Blessing.’ That’s a key reason why we’re proud to be actively involved in Fraser’s efforts throughout the year.”

In addition to donating the sponsorship fee of $35,000 for the event, Central Roofing also participated on site for the morning drive-thru parade at Mall of America by displaying a giant crane, semi-truck and providing breakfast items and a fishing game. Central Roofing also conducted additional fundraising efforts.

Other sensory- and family friendly activities at the event included therapy animal interaction, musical and puppetry performances, an icehouse on display, plus a socially-distanced photo booth. More than 170 vehicles drove along the route, with 547 people attending the festival. Fraser had 28 sponsors, vendors and event partners participate along the route to greet guests.

“We’ve always found Central Roofing to be a champion in advocacy, education and financial support for Fraser,” says Diane Cross, president and CEO of Fraser. “It’s amazing to see so many of their employees involved in both fundraising efforts and the actual day-of activities related to the Fraser Festival for Autism, presented by Central Roofing Company. We’re all excited and proud that this year’s event has raised funds to provide critical services for children, teens, adults and families living with autism.”

Fraser is Minnesota’s premier provider and expert on autism, mental health, and diverse intellectual, emotional and physical needs at every stage of life. Learn more at www.fraser.org.

About Central Roofing Company

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service and metal wall panels. For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com. 

The company helped build the new McQuinn Horticulture and Operations Headquarters and rebuilt the metal roofs on the historic Red Barn and silo.

Central Roofing Company’s roots have been in Minneapolis for more than 90 years. Recently those roots spread to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. That’s where the company helped build the new McQuinn Horticulture and Operations Headquarters. They also rebuilt the metal roofs on the historic Red Barn and silo within the arboretum.

With 1,200 acres, the non-profit Minnesota Landscape Arboretum was founded in 1958. The University of Minnesota purchased the property in 1968. For almost 60 years the arboretum operated without a unified headquarters. That all changed in 2020 with the completion of the privately-funded McQuinn Horticulture and Operations Headquarters.

New headquarters building

Designed by DLR Group of Minneapolis, the new 11,000+ square foot headquarters structure on Three-Mile Drive houses the horticulture, curatorial and gardening staffs, plus a drive-through maintenance shop. There’s also a multi-purpose area for classes along with a paved parking area for staff and volunteers.

“We were brought in by PCL Construction to install the roof, wall panels and soffits on the new building,” says Allen Wagner, sheet metal project manager at Central Roofing Company. “Excluding the brick and glass work, our crew constructed the majority of the shell of this building.”

The Central Roofing team has worked on at least 10 other projects with PCL Construction in the past. Wagner believes the construction company sees Central Roofing as a “component company capable of performing well on challenging jobs.”

Two different types of roofing are installed on the headquarters. The team started with layers of Firestone® self-adhering membranes, polyisocyanurate insulation and vapor barriers. Finally, a Firestone® UC 4 Standing Seam metal roof was installed and now protects part of the structure. A built-up roofing (BUR) system was installed over the remaining portions.  

For the wall panels, FunderMax® Exterior high-quality rainscreen cladding product was installed. Available in large format laminated panels, the product was ordered from Austria and fabricated on site by the Central Roofing team. A Firestone® UC-500 Flush Panel System was used for the soffitry on the structure. The one-inch flush panel system was mechanically attached and installed in a sequential pattern. All panel systems were roll formed to specified dimensions and tolerances.

“This project truly allowed us to showcase our metals expertise,” says Wagner. “We have a crew of six professionals in our sheet metal department who are solely dedicated to fabrication. There are another two dozen professionals who provide installation services.”

Red Barn and silo get new metal roofs

For the beloved big Red Barn within farm at the arboretum, Central Roofing Company was called on to replace the metal roofs on the barn and silo. Pure zinc metal standing seam roofs now protect the exterior of the structures. Firestone® UNA-CLAD™ UC-3 double-lock, architectural standing seam metal roof panels were installed to provide a traditional look on the roof interiors.

“If you live in this area, you’re familiar with how iconic the restored Red Barn is to the arboretum,” says Wagner. “This is a landmark project that we’re proud to have worked on.

“The most challenging part of this project was replacing the metal silo cover. We actually had to remove a portion and bring it into our shop to determine how to proceed with the project.”

Originally built around 1920 by the Williams family, the Red Barn was an operational dairy farm until 1964. As part of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the barn and farm area now feature walking trails, demonstrations, gardens and interactive interpretive displays. 

In addition to the work done at the arboretum, Central Roofing Company has completed other roofing projects for the University of Minnesota, including the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. The company is currently installing the roof on the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain on the University of Minnesota campus and has an ongoing roofing preventive maintenance inspections program underway for more than 280 buildings on the Twin Cities Campus.          

About Central Roofing Company 

Central Roofing Company is a nationally-certified woman-owned and operated private corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Established in 1929 the company has more than 200 union employees. Central Roofing Company focuses on projects for commercial roofing, exteriors service and metal wall panels. For more information, visit www.CentralRoofing.com.