The clubhouse at the new Bay Forest residential community in Ocean View, DE provides a signature look for the 800-home development by Natelli Communities, Gaithersburg, MD.

Approximately 11,500 sq. ft. of Petersen Snap-Clad panels were used on the clubhouse. An additional 3,500 sq. ft. of Snap-Clad panels were used on the tennis pavilion and postal facility. The .032 aluminum panels were finished in Silver.

Natelli had used PAC-CLAD on a previous development, according to Dave Dombert, vice president of Natelli and general manager of Main Street Commercial, a Natelli company and the general contractor on the project. “We knew we wanted Petersen for all of the community buildings at Bay Forest.  We like the aesthetics and the longevity.”

But metal almost didn’t make the cut when the economic went into recession in the late 2000’s. “We considered using less expensive, typical asphalt shingles instead but that would not have done justice to the building,” Dombert said. “The architect really fought to keep the metal.”

Design for the 12,000 sq. ft. facility was provided by Kishimoto, Gordon, Dalaya PC, Rosslyn, VA. “The clubhouse is the focal element of the community,” said architect Henry Mahns, project manager. “As such, the developer wanted this to be the signature building that would set the tone for the entire development.”

“We like the standing seam metal roof for projects that have a harsh environment like this one that’s in a coastal area,” according to Mahns. “The strength, durability and longevity are just something we rely on with this type of project. We want it to be there for a long time.”

The roof is accented with deep overhangs, cupolas, dormers and a featured tower element clad with engineered stone.  “We try to use traditional forms with contemporary detailing and we really believe the metal roof enhances the overall look and feel,” reports Mahns. “The metal has a very clean, tech look to it that we find really works with a lot of jobs.”