CEAC-2021-04-April

American Street Guide
Historic 1888 Masonic Temple Gets New
Roof
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Historic preservation projects are
tricky. Holding history in one hand and the future in the
other, Central Roofing Company has carefully replaced the
roofing on many notable projects during the company’s
90-year history. One specific project, the Masonic Temple in
downtown Minneapolis, required intricate work to recreate
the roof on an 1888 structure using modern materials.
“We had to dig deep to even start the roofing work on this
former location for the Hennepin Center for the Arts,” says
Jesse Wilcox, project manager with Central Roofing Company
in Minneapolis. “There was asbestos that had to be safely
removed, and two layers of old roofing.”
To begin the project, the Central Roofing team had to find a
way to attach lifeline stanchions and tie-off points for worker
safety. These were also needed for cleaning davit arms.
The workers cut through an ancient clay tile roof deck to tie
into the scissor truss system below.
“As we carefully started the project, we discovered that the
original sloped roof was standing seam,” says Wilcox. “Flat
areas had a flat seam metal product. Over the years someone
added a built-up roof over the flat roof. And, it appears
that a spray foam contractor buried the entire building in a
horrible product. Our challenge was to find a way to safely
remove all those layers.”
The challenges didn’t end there. The re-roofing project
took place in the middle of the winter, on an eight-story tall
structure that sits at a busy intersection. The team also had
to repair ancient sheet-metal facades.
Part of Minneapolis History
Extreme care had to be taken with not just the roof surface,
but the entire structure of the Masonic Temple. Built in 1888,
the building was designed by Long and Kees, a noted local
firm responsible for a wide variety of Minneapolis buildings,
all of which are now listed on the National Register of Historic
Places.
The ornate design of the Masonic Temple represents the
Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture. Many
churches, civic buildings and mansions in Minneapolis were
designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Noted for
their dramatic semi-circular arches, deeply recessed windows,
and ornate exteriors, the structures are part of the history of
Minneapolis.
Restoring History
In 2019, when the Masonic Temple was just over 130 years
old, Artspace, a nonprofit developer of artist facilities,
brought in Miller Dunwiddie to help restore the building.
The architectural and design team recommended Central
Roofing Company to tackle the roof replacement.
“We’ve previously worked with Central Roofing on difficult
projects downtown and on projects with historic integrity,”
says Denita D. Lemmon, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP and principal
of Miller Dunwiddie. “This was a complicated re-roof job. We
knew the dedicated experts at Central Roofing would understand
the care needed to successfully execute the project.”
According to Lemmon, the unknown layers of the roof
initially made the roof a mystery. “There were many layers
applied over the years to try to extend the longevity of the
roof,” says Lemmon. “That left a number of unknowns and
many concealed conditions.
“We wanted a team to work with us in getting to the final
outcome. With the Central Roofing team we got expert
support and open communication throughout the entire
process.”
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| Chief Engineer
The Masonic Temple in downtown Minneapolis was a difficult restoration
job that required several layers of bad materials to be carefully removed
before a new roof using modern materials could be installed on the more
than 130-year-old building.