When it comes to Cuyahoga Falls, the city is as historic and bustling as the river running through it. Since 1812, the northeast Ohio landmark has been a hub of industrial and residential growth. Just a short jaunt away from the Cuyahoga River lies the historic city hall. Erected in the early 1950s, the building required a refresh in 2020, specifically for the shingles adorning the 38,000-square-foot roof. The roof had no ventilation, and its shingles were essentially melting together onto the concrete deck below. The shingles began cracking, blowing off the building, and causing various leaks.

The building’s roof features 57 roof facets, each pitched with a sloped concrete base. When the team at city hall first made restoration plans with Garland, their goal was to replace the existing shingles. However, for longevity, watertight protection, and improved curb appeal, Garland suggested an alternative plan.

Local Garland representative Matt McGonigal worked with Cuyahoga Falls City Hall to develop solutions that would best complement this uniquely challenging roof project. Rather than replacing the existing shingle roof, McGonigal recommended Garland’s R-Mer® Loc. This high-performance metal solution would prove more adaptable to the building’s architecture, and installing hat channels and retrofitting panels would be far cheaper than reinstalling shingles.

McGonigal worked with Cuyahoga Fall’s Buildings and Grounds Superintendent John Ball and City Engineer Tony Demasi to ensure the project flowed smoothly. In addition to the roof slopes, the building also required all new gutters and downspouts to be covered with metal, and about 5,000 square feet of flat roof. Capped flat stock metal was installed on the captivating entrances, and the building’s two “gazebo roofs'' required additional details.

McGonigal, Ball, and Demasi worked on the specifications package for about a month before bidding, with every piece of the roof requiring specialized attention to detail. Each hat channel installed with the fasteners was so unique that every single screw hole was pre-drilled to accommodate the fasteners. Although it took longer, the attention to detail proved successful for the project.

And even when problems arose, the team was resilient. They encountered an odd gutter near the building’s clock tower that required a change to their original approach. But the contracting company, Brookpark Design Builders of North Royalton, Ohio, adapted quickly. They tore out the existing gutter to make room for a custom gutter system made with flat stock metal, and progress continued.

“Everyone came together to produce a beautiful and long-lasting roof,” said McGonigal. “And we secured the project from beginning to end, providing a 30-year Garland warranty. History is a testament to this building, and I feel honored to add beauty to such a staple of the community. For a long time, this building is going to be there and we can say we were a part of it.”

For Ball, partnering with Garland definitely contributed to the overall success of the project. “Matt made the process very easy for us. He was there from start to finish, offering step-by-step guidance as it was needed throughout the project. Greg and his crew were very professional and courteous of the day-to-day operations of City Hall. The product itself is simply amazing. I receive compliments on the building on an almost daily basis.”