Keezell Hall is one of the historic buildings that give James Madison University's campus its look, and its roof is a big part of that. Our Skyline crew recently completed a full Roof Replacement on the hall in Harrisonburg, Virginia, bringing new life to both its traditional clay tile roof and its low slope section.

The Challenge

Keezell Hall's roof is made up of two distinct areas. About 15,000 square feet is clay tile, and a separate 1,700-square-foot section is low slope. Each one called for its own roofing system, details, and approach.

The clay tile roof is one of the hall's defining features, so the new system needed to honor the building's original architecture. The condition of the roof deck also wouldn't be clear until the existing tile came off, which meant our crew needed to be ready to address whatever we found. On the low slope section, the priority was improved energy performance and a dependable, long-lasting roofing system.

The Solution

Our crew stripped the steep slope areas down to the deck. Where we found damage, we repaired or replaced the decking before any new materials went down.

From there, we installed a new Ludowici Spanish clay tile system. Copper valleys and edging were built in throughout, along with new gutters and downspouts. Snow guards went in across the steep slopes, and custom cornice trims give the roofline a clean, finished look.

On the low slope section, we tore off the existing system and rebuilt it with new insulation topped by a fully adhered EPDM membrane.

The Impact

From the quad, Keezell Hall looks the way the JMU community has always known it. Out of sight, the low slope section now has new insulation and a fully adhered EPDM membrane built for better energy performance. Traditional craftsmanship and modern roofing technology now work side by side on the same roof.

• Architecture preserved, with a roofline that looks original to the hall

• Lasting structural support, with repaired and replaced decking beneath the new tile

• Water directed off the roof and away from the building, even where roof planes meet and water collects most

• Snow held in place, with snow guards that keep snow from sliding off the steep tile onto walkways below

• Lower energy demand from the newly insulated low slope section

Keezell Hall joins a growing list of projects our crew has been grateful to be part of at JMU. We appreciate the university's continued trust, and we're proud to deliver a roof built on careful planning and quality workmanship that will serve the campus for decades to come.

Planning a roof replacement on a historic or campus building? Talk to our team.