Composite Slate Tops Mansard Roof at The Chateau at Nemacolin

First impressions are everything. That’s especially true at the prestigious The Chateau at Nemacolin resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania. That’s why, when the structure’s original roof faded and weathered badly, the management team decided to invest in composite slate roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes.

“As a high-end luxury resort, visual appeal was a critical component in the selection process of a replacement roof,” says Adam Galis, vice president and general manager of Burns & Scalo. “This is a mansard roof application, so it’s a feature part of the structure. Our client wanted a roof with visual appeal. To us it was clear that the DaVinci Slate would meet that desire.”

Capturing Attention

The client Galis refers to is Nemacolin Resort, with the 124-room Chateau Hotel, the crown jewel hotel, at its center. Located 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, deep in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Laurel Valley — almost touching the border of West Virginia — the hotel boasts The Woodlands Spa and Salon, a Holistic Healing Center and a championship-level golf course. There’s also indoor axe throwing, bowling and a variety of themed seasonal activities.

Designed after the famous Paris Ritz Hotel, guest rooms are spacious and opulently decorated. The on-site art collection and restored 1940s carousel are feasts for the eyes. However, it’s the exterior of the hotel that first captures the attention of guests.

“The green slate from the original construction in 1996 was deteriorating in sections,” says Michael Whitty, vice president of engineering/grounds at Nemacolin Resort. “We needed a product that would offer both longevity and beauty. When Burns & Scalo recommended the DaVinci composite slate roofing, we could easily see how it would enhance the appeal of the structure’s exterior. The black composite slate roof on the white building façade, matched with the red awnings on the main entrance, makes this a stunning exterior.”

Weathering the Storm

The Burns & Scalo team was not surprised that the resort leadership appreciated the benefits of the DaVinci product. The roofing team has successfully installed several DaVinci Roofscapes projects in the past several years.

“We take great pride in our DaVinci projects,” says Galis. “We often use them as showcase installations when recommending composite roofing to potential clients. Whether for a residential or commercial project, the synthetic shake and slate tiles are visually appealing. They’re also durable, which is important for the weather we get in our area.”

Galis relates that Western Pennsylvania is affected by several types of weather throughout the year. From 90-plus degree temperatures in the summer to single digit temps in the winter, the area experiences extremes each year.

“We can get severe storms with hail and high winds,” says Galis. “Our fluctuating weather conditions play a significant role in the types of building products we recommend for our client’s properties.”

“The consistent performance of DaVinci Roofscapes products allows us to provide a luxury product that performs extremely well in our environment,” Galis continues. “The performance of the DaVinci tiles is unmatched when it comes to synthetic composites. We sell and install the full product line with confidence.”

When it came time for the Burns & Scalo team to recommend a product for the mansard application on the Chateau, they advised installing the DaVinci Slate.

“The look and appeal matched our client’s desire for a product with long-lasting performance,” says Galis. “Recommending the product was the easy part. Installation on an active hotel setting was a bit more challenging.”

Installation Challenges

Working closely with the Nemacolin team, the crew from Burns & Scalo was keenly aware of creating as little impact as possible on resort guests. Workers focused on very small and specific areas of the roof. They coordinated with resort staff around suites that were intentionally left vacant to accommodate the installation.

“We had scaffolding erected on the entire left and right sides of the resort,” notes Galis. “We had lulls used in the front. There were two separate swing stages erected on the roof to perform the work on the rear of the resort. To minimize the impact on the guests, we secured all the old roofing material on the roof. We offloaded it by crane only once each week. This reduced the disruption to the hotel.”

Just as the re-roofing was in full swing, “The Bachelor” came to town. The resort was notified it would host the popular ABC television show — a terrific unveiling opportunity.

“Due to filming, we had to remove our equipment from the site,” says Galis. “After that we developed a new, expedited schedule for the roof installation. We increased our crews and equipment to support our client’s needs and were able to complete the project in just two months.”

“The Burns & Scalo team delivered this job on time and on budget,” says Whitty. “Their attention to details was excellent. I’d absolutely recommend this hard-working team to others in the area needing new roofing. Overall we’re very pleased with the work done by Burns & Scalo, their recommendation of the DaVinci product, and the beautiful first impression this new composite roof makes on guests visiting The Chateau at Nemacolin.”

TEAM

Roof System Installer: Burns & Scalo, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, burns-scalo.com

MATERIALS

Synthetic Slate: DaVinci Roofscapes, davinciroofscapes.com