Hospitality & Entertainment Facilities
Rand Tower, Minneapolis
RETROFIT TEAM
ROOFING CONTRACTOR: Central Roofing Co.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Ryan Cos.
ARCHITECT: ESG Architecture & Design
MATERIALS
Eight different roofs had to be replaced on the structure from the 26th to the third floor. “We worked on this project from April of 2019 through July of 2020,” says Mike Mehring, vice president of commercial sales with Central Roofing. “The different phases of work were all challenging. The revitalization of this building means a lot to everyone in our city. For our part, we gave it our absolute top attention.”
Because swing stages (otherwise known as suspended scaffolding) were used for most of the roofing work, all activities had to be precisely coordinated. Often the work was scheduled down to the minute or hour, instead of just for a particular day. After installing anchors on the upper roof areas, the swings could be tied off. Multiple swings were installed around the building with each contractor taking turns on the stages. This required the eight roofs be completed in different phases.
The roofing project started with the removal of a 15-year-old EPDM roof covered with pavers on the 26th floor. Several rooftop-unit curbs and fall-protection anchors were then installed. The Central Roofing team installed a Johns Manville 60-mil fully adhered EPDM system. The pavers were reused to help protect the roof while trades- people performed mechanical equipment repairs.
As Mehring remembers, the roofing on levels 25, 24, 23, 21 and three were leaking profusely. “We came up with a plan to replace them with the same Johns Manville EPDM membrane we used on the top level,” he says. “We took out the existing copper sheet metal roofing that was covered with a coating. Our solution with the 60-mil membrane system should keep the roof solid and leak-free.”
On level five, the existing TPO roof and even older BUR system were removed to create a new rooftop dining area. A retractable skylight/roof and outdoor patio were added. Central Roofing installed sheet metal within the retractable roof area to mask areas on the building walls with imperfections. The roofing crew then installed an American Hydrotech 215-mil fabric-reinforced waterproofing system and Wausau Tile pavers to the outdoor patio.
EPDM ROOFING: Johns Manville
FABRIC-REINFORCED ROOFING: American Hydrotech
PAVERS: Wausau Tile
THE RETROFIT
Aviator Rufus R. Rand would love the recently renovated Rand Tower. He built the 26-story structure in 1929. Now, almost a century later, the historic building serves as a luxury boutique Marriott hotel with 270 guestrooms, again proudly taking its place on the downtown Minneapolis skyline. The hotel pays tribute to art deco style and Rand’s love of aviation.
PHOTO: courtesy Central Roofing Co.