By cornellroofing American Subcontractors Association • Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • Midwest Roofing Contractors Association • National Roofing Contractors Association • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

The MRCA, A Family Affair

Mary McNamara, Owner and President of Cornell, was recently appointed to the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) Board. McNamara continues a tradition of service to the roofing industry from the McNamara family at the regional and national levels.

Humble Beginnings

The MRCA  traces its beginnings to early 1950. For several years discussion of the benefits of a regional organization to represent roofing contractors had been going on. It was after a roofing clinic in Topeka, Kansas on January 12, 1950 that the organization was created.

Then Everything Changed

While conventions have always been a part of the MRCA, they began as a forum for contractors to gather and exchange ideas. In 1965, the first technical research project titled “Don’t Panic – Here’s How to Make a Roof Drain”, was published. Despite how it sounds today, it revolutionized the roofing industry. Overnight architects uniformly adopted the projects recommendations and the industry began changing.

Continuing a Tradition of Service

“ I am Honored to be appointed to the MRCA Board and look forward to collaborating with the many talented members of this

The MRCA, Organization, Midwest Roofing Contractors Association
Rob McNamara

organization,” McNamara stated. Her father, Jim McNamara was President of the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association. McNamara’s Uncle Don, served as president of the organization in 1981 and was awarded its highest honor, the James Q. McCawley Award in 1982. Don’s son Rob also served as its president. Its safe the say this has become a family affair.

MRCA Drives Positive Change

From the first industry altering publication, the MRCA Technical and Research (T&R) Committee was formed and has presented studies that have dramatically impacted the industry. As a result, the industry has seen an improvement of products and architects and specifiers have been influenced and guided to follow sound roofing practices. The MRCA has continually worked to improve the conditions for the roofing contractors and ultimately their customers. For more information visit: www.MRCA.org

By cornellroofing American Subcontractors Association • Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Renovating the First Baptist Church

Renovate, commercial, historic, renovation, Kansas City, First Baptist ChurchLocated on West Truman Road, the First Baptist Church of Independence, which has undergone renovating, traces its roots back over 120 years to 1896. As such, the church has been a part of American history and is listed on the Historic Registry.

Queen City of the Trails

Independence Missouri was the declared the starting point for the Oregon Trail by no less than an act of Congress! The City of Independence is still considered the “Queen City of the Trails” as it was a point of departure for the California, Oregon and Santa Fe Trails.

Decades later, it was into this bustling city that The First Baptist Church of Independence was established.

The Trumans

President Harry S. Truman and his wife, First Lady Bess Truman grew up and are buried in their beloved city, Independence. Their home and The Truman Library are both popular tourist attractions.

A Rebirth

Built well after the Civil War, the church has endured over 120 years of Missouri weather.

Renovating

Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal was hired for renovation of the church roofs and steeple, bringing them back into shape after many years of wear and tear.

As the images show, the finished look of the renovated roofing system and steeple give the church a fresh new look.

The attached short video shows a Cornell team member putting the finishing touches to the steeple and gives a birds-eye view of the beautiful new roofs.

The renovating of the church also includes the restoration from inside and out. These efforts culminated in the recent 1896 Building Restoration Benefit Concert to restore the worship sanctuary.

Cornell Roofing is proud to have played a part to help bring back the First Baptist Church of Independence to its original glory. For more information on the church, you can visit their site at: www.fbcindep.org

 

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Re-roofing City Hall – Cornell Roofing

Commercial roofing, commercial roofers, KCC roofing, Kansas City Roofers, KCChambersThe challenge:

Facing the re-roofing of City Hall in Kansas City. The building opened at a cost of around six-million dollars. This was 30% over budget, but hey, these were the Pendergast years. Such spending was not uncommon given the 30 million-dollar bond package that was pushed through with many cries of tampering and fraud. This funded City Hall, Municipal Auditorium and numerous additional projects at the time.

At 30 stories and 443 feet, KC’s City Hall is the third largest building in the city. It is also still one of the tallest city halls in the nation. When it was completed in 1937, it was the tallest building in the state. The sheer height created some special challenges Commercial roofing, commercial roofers, KCC roofing, Kansas City Roofers, KCChambersfor Cornell Roofing. From both safety and equipment standpoints, our team was up to the challenge!

Iconic Architecture:

Neoclassic architecture with incredible interior and exterior art deco details and imported stone from around the world, made the building one of the most beautiful to this day. The story of the development of the city’s third city hall (the first two were in what is now the River Market), is still impressive to this day, leaving many first-time visitors in awe.

In order to accomplish the task of re-roofing City Hall, Cornell brought in one of the largest cranes in the Midwest. And, we’re not talking about any regular crane. Weighing in at 550 tons, The Blue Hat Crane’s impressive reach allowed the Cornell team to reach the 443 foot roof with height to spare. This allowed our team to safely bring materials up and debris down in order for safety during the process of re-roofing City Hall.

When not in operation, it covered almost the entire South side of the building, along with one lane of Locust street.

The Nitty Gritty:

The assembly of the crane was captured in the video below. Taken from the roof and set to fast motion, it is hard to tell what you are looking at. From this vantage point, men appear to scurry back and forth.  In a little over one minute, you can see the day passing while the re-roofing of City Hall was underway. Look close and you can also see a crane we needed just to assemble this beast! A day-long effort just to prepare for the job ahead.

Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal is proud to play a part in maintaining one of Kansas City’s true architectural masterpieces.

 

 

 

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Happy Veteran’s Day

Cornell would like to say thank you to all who have served our nation and we hope everyone has a wonderful Veteran’s Day.

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Safety on the Job At Cornell

 

Safety on the job site is a must when you are hundreds of feet in the air. Roofers and team members, each with his or her own job to do to, move past one another. Roofing equipment and supplies are also in the mix on the job site. Today, job site safety is a team effort and it all starts with a mindset: No one gets hurt today.

Different job sites present different challenges. At Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, safety planning is part of every job’s roofing process.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), sets Standards, Guidelines and Regulations all employers and employees must follow to help keep their employees safe.

At Cornell, our team members and roofers take classes and maintain study habits to stay informed and up to date on their certifications. OHSA has 10 and 30-Hour Certification programs. Annually, OSHA also ranks it’s most violated OSHA Standards. Year after year, Fall Protection is the number #1 OSHA Standard cited.Roofers, roofing material, metal roof, Kansas City roofing, roofing safety, safety regulations, commercial roofing, roofing system, fabrication, Cornell safety, osha, osha roofers, roof systems

Mary McNamara, President of Cornell commented, “At Cornell we continue to invest the time, training, certification support, and equipment needed to keep our people safe.” Cornell just added the “All-In-One Rail System” from Leading Edge Safety. This job site addition adds to our employees safety on the job site.

Mary added, “We are proud of our team. Working together, we’ve had one of our safest years on record.” Some construction fencing was added to help keep debris from blowing off the roof.

For the FULL LIST of Construction Industry Regulations(Standards) visit the OSHA laws and regulations page.

 

One look through the OSHA Standard Number 1926 and you’ll see just how important and serious staying on top of the regulations are for the safety and comfort of roofers and other employees in the construction industry.

To the entire Cornell Family, other trades and suppliers, keep up the great work and stay safe on your job sites!

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Cornell Roofing Continues Its Support

Today marks the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. However, breast cancer does not stop on the 31st. It is unrelenting. In 2019, an estimated 268,00 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States. In addition, an estimated 62,930 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer will be diagnosed. Men get breast cancer as well, adding another 10%¹.Breast Cancer Awareness in Commercial roofing and commercial Sheet Metalkansas city

Incredibly, one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime and it’s estimated 41,760 women will die, THIS YEAR ALONE¹.

With over 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., there is hope. 62% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage for which the 5-year survival rate is 99%¹.

Cornell Roofing Continues Its Support

At Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, we have long been active supporters of Breast Cancer Awareness (BCA). For the month of October, the staff and crews have been wearing our custom BCA shirts out on the job sites to show support, build awareness and help keep breast cancer top of mind in the Greater Metropolitan Kansas City area.

Breast cancer is one of the top types of cancer for women in the United States, all the more reason to get involved and help spread awareness of this terrible cancer. Many of us know or have a loved one who has or had breast cancer, both women and men. We also know early detection is one of the keys to fighting breast cancer, so please be proactive.

Cornell’s Mission

Part of the Mission of Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal is to continue being an active participant in local, regional and national support groups and charities. We urge everyone to consider what they might do to also get involved.

As you can see, the Cornell Roofing team was again, as we are every year, all-in on this important mission.

 

¹National Breast Cancer Foundation:

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

By cornellroofing American Subcontractors Association • General • Products & Information • • • • • 0 Comments

Cornell’s Andrew Christ Joins ASA Board on DC Fly-In

Commercial Roofing Kansas City, Commercial Sheet Metal FabricatorsCornell’s Andrew Christ, joined the rest of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA), Board as part of a “DC Fly-In” to meet with House and Senate Congressional Members. Eight upcoming legislative issues concerning America’s subcontractors are on the agenda including; Retainage, Bid Listing, and Change Orders.  According to Andrew, “During our fly- in, we met with nine Congressional Members, or their staffs, to inform them we support these issues as an organization.” Andrew added, “Members included; U.S. House Small Business Committee, three U.S. Senators, and four Members of the House of Representatives.”

Mary McNamara, Cornell President, added, “Supporting the industry has always been a part of Cornell’s Mission and Vision. We are proud of the work Andrew and the rest of the ASA Board are doing at the local and national level.” Andrew currently serves as Vice President for the ASA of Greater Kansas City.

The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) is the national trade association promoting the rights and interests of contractors and suppliers. It is dedicated to quality construction, ethical and equitable business practices, safety in the workplace, and industry best-practices. The ASA represents more 2,400 construction subcontractors who employ over 18,000 employees annually impacting buildings and communities across the nation.

For more information on the ASA National click home below:

Home

For more information on the ASA of Greater Kansas City: https://www.subcontractorskansas.com/

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Builders’ Association EXPO Winner!

The 2019 KC Builders’ Association EXPO was another winner as was John Florez of Hodnett Photographers. John took home a new, 4K, 55″ Smart TV! According to John, it will be a timely addition for his home on game day, GO CHIEFS!

In addition to the opportunity to mix and mingle with other trades, suppliers and contractors, Cornell continued its long tradition of support as a Sponsor of The Builders’ Association EXPO 2019.

The Builders’ Association EXPO had some great training and continuing education opportunities as well. Cornell’s Assistant Project Manager, Victor Speers, took full advantage, attending; Construction Technology: What’s Next? Led by McCownGordon’s It Director, Justin Burns and The Softer Side of Cybersecurity, led by Robert Hunter, President of The Hunter Group.

Victor added, “The classes I took were informative, timely and dealt with real-life issues we are facing more and more everyday.”

 

 

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EXPO EXTRA! Take Home This 55″ 4K Smart TV TOMORROW!

Kansas City Commercial Roofing

 

Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal wants to give YOU a brand-new TV at The Builders’ EXPO.  Just stop by booth #70, drop in a card and you could walk out with the perfect addition to the favorite place in your home. Remodel not included!

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Commerce Tower

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Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal Loves a Challenge!

Roofing the Iconic Commerce Bank Tower, a Postmodernism architectural masterpiece in Downtown Kansas City was a challenge and an opportunity. With its slopping metal roof rising above the 20-story structure at over 258 ft, the logistics, timing, safety planning, and challenges were all taken into consideration during the planning phases.

Scaffolding had to be erected around the entire building’s Penthouse and roof for both safety and logistical reasons. Applying Wall panels to the side of a building while over 200 feet up requires the kind of steely nerves that experience and Cornell’s and the Trades’ on-going training and certification programs help provide.

As Cornell’s Tradesmen and Tradeswomen complete this Downtown KC Icon’s roof, we promise to bring you some of the stunning shots that have made Commerce Bank Tower such an important part of the downtown skyline.