Cameron Parish Chooses Durable Metal Sales Roof & Soffit Products
Louisville, KY - After Hurricane Rita devastated Cameron Parish, LA in September 2005, the community turned tragedy into opportunity by contracting six new sustainable civic facilities, complete with Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation products.
Metal Sales, a premier nationwide provider of metal panels for the building and construction industry, provided roofing and soffit panels for the Cameron Parish School Board office building, two fire stations, and the parish’s East Annex. Soon-to-be-completed projects include the West Annex and a community recreation facility, which will also feature Metal Sales products.
“It’s a good feeling to contribute to the reconstruction of Cameron Parish,” says George Marx, Regional Vice President – Central Region for Metal Sales. “Being specified to these projects is a testament to the strength of our panels and we are proud to provide that type of reliability to an area that has overcome such tragedy.”
Hurricane Rita is the most intense hurricane ever to be observed in the Gulf of Mexico, and the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. As a result, Cameron Parish sustained immense property and land damage, and lost about 30% of its population due to hurricane-related relocation between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Tragedy struck the parish again in 2008, when it was hit by Hurricane Ike, the third-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the U.S. However, the leaders of Cameron Parish have continuously demonstrated a commitment to rebuilding the area by initiating a host of ambitious construction projects.
“For projects in this area, it is extremely critical to use durable materials that can withstand 130 mile-per-hour hurricane wind loads,” says Gayle Zembower, Lead Architect at C. Gayle Zembower Architect, Inc. “Having used Metal Sales products before, we knew that we could trust them to hold up well against the elements. In fact, we used a Metal Sales-provided roof on a building that was destroyed by a hurricane a few years ago, and the metal panels were the only part of the building that survived. We didn’t even lose a screw.”
Panels chosen for these projects include Striated Magna-Loc 90, Flat Soffit, and Striated Magna-Loc 180 in colors such as Zinc Grey, Linen White, Patriot Red, Sandstone, and Dark Bronze. All panels are 16” wide and 22 gauge, as the project team desired a heavier product for added durability. Currently, there are nearly 30,000 square feet of Metal Sales panels spanning the new facilities in Cameron Parish, with more to be added as the future projects undergo construction.
“All panels have installed seamlessly so far, and we don’t expect any problems on upcoming installations,” says Nickey Priola, President of Priola Construction, “We like to work with Metal Sales whenever possible because they offer competitive pricing, provide exceptional customer service, and deliver a high-quality product.”
C. Gayle Zembower Architect, Inc., Lake Charles, LA, served as architect for the Cameron Parish School Board office building, the fire stations, and the upcoming recreation facility. Randy M. Goodloe Architect, Lake Charles, LA, served as architect for the East Annex and the West Annex, which is still in progress. Priola Construction, Lake Charles, LA, served as installer for the Cameron Parish School Board office building, the recreation facility, and the West Annex. Shannon Smith Construction, Lake Charles, LA, provided installation for the fire stations and Lewing Construction, Lake Charles, LA, provided installation for the East Annex.