Superior council authorizes roof repair for Carnegie Library
Nov. 3—SUPERIOR — The city is taking the first step to preserve the historic Carnegie Library at 1204 Hammond Ave.
In a 7-3 vote Tuesday, Nov. 1, councilors approved a $275,000 bid from Stack Bros. Mechanical Contractors for a temporary roof repair on the building.
The company originally submitted a proposal to remove and replace the roof substrate, replace deficient wood rafters and patch holes in the existing soffit at a cost of $525,000. However, that exceeded the city's budget for the project and could have hurt the historic integrity of the building by removing elements that make the library unique.
"Obviously, it did not go as planned ... to do a full replacement of the roof would have been a very involved intrusion of historic elements and would have required a bit more restoration than we were prepared to do at this point," Mayor Jim Paine said. "The goal was to prevent water intrusion."
Instead, the contractor will install a membrane made of EPDM rubber roofing material over the existing roof, according to Jason Serck, economic development, port and planning director.
The challenge for the contractor is the library's roof was redone in 1960 or 1970, but the old roof wasn't removed before a new roof was put over the top of it. Serck said the contractors advised officials that historic elements of the building could be damaged if the newer roof was removed.
Covering the existing roof with the membrane will seal it from the weather.
"It does the job; it protects the building," Paine said.
"What I see in this is another Band-Aid," Councilor Mark Johnson said, asking how long the repair would last.
Serck said the subcontractor on the project, A.W. Kettel, said the membrane would last about 20 years and offered to inspect the building annually. However, Serck advised councilors that contractors were unlikely to provide a warranty.
"It kind of leaves us in the same spot," Councilor Brent Fennessey said. "We're still left with a building that needs a roof. Hopefully it will stay dry, but there's no guarantee ... this isn't a final solution."
Fennessey asked if it might be more cost effective to simply tarp the roof.
The mayor said at a cost of $40,000 to $50,000 to tarp the building, which might not last more than a year or two, the membrane is the more cost-effective option. While the membrane is expensive, Paine said it is the most flexible option for protecting the building and retaining the opportunity for historic restoration.
Councilors Nicholas Ledin, Jenny Van Sickle, Warren Bender, Tylor Elm, Ruth Ludwig, Mike Herrick and Lindsey Graskey voted in favor of the plan.
Councilors Jack Sweeney, Fennessey and Johnson voted against the proposal, but didn't seek a roll call vote to have their objection on the record.
