Marina’s New Roof Is Its Signature Design Element

When the former Morrow’s Marina first hit the Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, real estate market, it seemed like this last piece of the town’s open space might soon become a townhome development. But the township’s board of commissioners had a different idea for the tumble-down, 14-acre property, sited on Darby Creek, less than a mile from the entrance to the Delaware River. In addition to a new public recreation amenity, some on the board also saw a possible income opportunity too good for the township to pass up.

“I think, with good management, there could be a lot of revenue in the future,” says Bob Willert, who was then the board’s president, of the financial benefits the marina could offer.

Over the years, the town has made improvements to the marina, boosting its popularity with boaters. And, with the recent opening of a new $6 million restaurant, along with marina offices, right on the waterfront, that income potential is becoming a reality. Owned by the township and leased to a local restaurateur, the new Stinger’s Waterfront has quickly become a popular destination. It’s also easy to find, even without a GPS, thanks to a standout metal roof finished in an impossible-to-miss Copper Penny hue.

Choosing the Roof System

While the color is certainly eye-catching, it was the classic PAC-CLAD Snap-Clad profile that first caught the attention of Clarice Jones, project architect with Catania Engineering Associates, the restaurant’s Milmont Park, Pennsylvania-based design firm. She knew the standing seams on the 10,500 square feet of Snap-Clad roof panels — complemented by a matching 1,500 square feet of vented PAC-750 Soffit Panels — would emphasize the crisp lines of the building’s contemporary façade.

Crews from E.P. Donnelly installed 10,500 square feet of PAC-CLAD Snap-Clad roof panels in Copper Penny and 1,500 square feet of matching vented soffit panels. Photos: © hortonphotoinc.com

“The seaming is punched out — I saw a particular style,” she says. “I liked the way the seam looked in profile; it was a nice tight look.”

E.P. Donnelly Inc., of Warrington, Pennsylvania, installed the roof, and it was a complicated project. The sloped design is interrupted on both sides with three triangular window dormers, requiring complex detailing. And a multi-gabled cupola required similar attention, though at a smaller scale. Donnelly’s project manager, Gerry Campi, suggested Petersen’s PAC-CLAD product to the general contractor — J.S. McManus Inc. of Chester Heights, Pennsylvania — as a better fit for this demanding project.

“I told the GC that Petersen was a much better product, and the GC made the switch,” Campi says. “We use the Snap-Clad profile regularly. It snaps together the best. It’s a really nice product.”

For Jones, metal was the only roofing option that would work; any other option would have looked too residential. But, interestingly, the bright metallic finish wasn’t her first choice. Initially, her plans had called for a more neutral gray, but the town’s business manager opted for the definitely-not-neutral Copper Penny shade. “They wanted something bolder,” Jones says. “It’s like a flame; I’m glad they chose it. It sparkles like a diamond.”

Building a Landmark

The roof design features a multi-gabled cupola as well as triangular window dormers.

After winning the project, J.S. McManus Inc. needed to complete the building construction on a tight schedule. Michael McManus, vice president of J.S. McManus, coordinated the work of subcontractors and worked closely with the architect, owner, restaurant owner, and the other prime contractors. “I had my superintendent, Tim O’Connell, who was on site to handle the day-to-day operations,” McManus notes. “We kept our focus on getting the steel superstructure completed as soon as possible so that we could get the roof installed. As with all projects, once the roof is installed, then you can really expedite the project since you don’t have to worry about being impacted by the weather. It took a lot of hard work from my team, and we all stayed focused and worked diligently to complete the project on time.”

As soon as they could, crews from E.P. Donnelly tackled the challenging installation. Crew members were tied off 100 percent of the time to ensure safety. The architectural features called for extra care during detailing to ensure smooth lines, and crews worked carefully to make sure that all areas were fully sealed and waterproofed.

Snow Retention System

Despite Ridley Marina being located in snow country, no snow retention had been specified for the project. “We actually brought this up to the owner and architect that no snow guards were specified for the metal roof, which would create a serious safety concern,”says Campi.E.P. Donnelly recommended installing the S-5! ColorGard system, citing it as the only system the company installs.

A ColorGard engineered snow guard system was added at the recommendation of the roofing contractor on the project.

Sourcing the snow guard system was an easy decision because Campi had worked with a specific distributor since 2013. Brock and Associates Metal Resources, based in Pittsburgh, fulfilled the necessary bill of materials. Brock is a manufacturer and distributor of exterior metal cladding systems for commercial and industrial applications.

The project called for thirty 8-foot sections of unpunched ColorGard rail. To attach the rail, 290 S-5-S Clamps were employed. Then, 290 Sno-Clips II and 290 VersaClips were installed to complete the engineered snow guard system atop the marina’s new copper penny roof. Of course, ensuring aesthetics remained an important design goal, and matching the roof color was crucial. The product allows color-matched strips of the roof metal to be inserted into the ColorGard sections, providing the necessary holding strength while still maintaining a streamlined appearance.

Since its completion, the Ridley Township Marina project has become a stunning showpiece for the area, and all involved with the project point to the roof as its most stunning architectural feature. Campi notes that the roof has become a billboard, of sorts, for the marina, visible from a nearby interstate highway. “When you’re coming down I-95 through Philly, that Copper Penny roof really stands out,” he says.

TEAM

Architect: Catania Engineering Associates, Milmont Park, Pennsylvania, www.cataniaengineering.com

General Contractor: J.S. McManus Inc., Chester Heights, Pennsylvania, www.jsmcmanus.com

Roofing Contractor: E.P. Donnelly Inc., Warrington, Pennsylvania

Distributor: Brock and Associates Metal Resources, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, www.brock-assoc.com

MATERIALS

Metal Roof System: PAC-CLAD Snap-Clad Panels, Petersen, www.pac-clad.com

Soffit Panels: PAC-CLAD PAC-750 Soffit Panels, Petersen

Snow Retention System: ColorGard, S-5!, www.s-5.com

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