Western Specialty Contractors

Master Craftsmen in Building Envelope Repair

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LCHD Building H23 Reroof | Waukegan, IL

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Western Specialty Contractors’ Chicago branch has completed a project to re-roof the Lake County Health Department in Waukegan, IL, as part of its recently launched commercial roofing division.

Western began the project in October 2024 by removing existing asphalt wall, curb and pipe flashings on the building’s 24,900-square-foot, low slope roof, then prepping and priming all substrate surfaces to receive a new 60-mil, white TPO roof membrane. TPO membranes are ideal for flat commercial roofs due to their durability, energy efficiency, long-term performance, color options and heat/UV resistance.

Western crews then mechanically attached a new 0.5” high-density polyisocyanurate insulation cover board directly over the existing built-up roof system and installed the new TPO membrane using Rhinobond induction-weld attachment methods as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. To complete the project, Western installed new TPO accessories and terminations, which included flashing of all roof edges, walls, curbs and penetrations.

Previously undetected by roof consultant reports and preconstruction investigations, Western discovered an area of the roof on an older section of the building during the project that had gypsum roof decking instead of a metal deck. The initially specified induction weld attachment method did not provide adequate wind uplift resistance and was not an approved attachment over the gypsum areas.

Working with the roofing manufacturer and local material suppliers, crew members found a specialized solution in Polymer GypTec Fasteners, which had to be quickly pull-tested within the existing assembly and procured to prevent delays in the project. The Polymer GypTec Fastener is designed to thread into the substrate but not penetrate the deck.

Western’s skilled and well-trained craftsmen and women from the Local 11 Union of Roofers identified the challenge and worked together to find a solution that ensured a proper installation for a 20-year system warranty. Western completed the re-roof project at the end of November to the satisfaction of the building’s owner.

Have a project you need completed? Contact the Chicago branch today: https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/chicago-branch/

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.         

IIC East Peoria Fire Station | East Peoria, IL

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Completed work on East Peoria Fire Station

Western Specialty Contractors’ Peoria Roofing Branch installed the entire exterior metal cladding, roof and walls on the City of Peoria, Illinois’ new 6,000-square-foot East Peoria Fire Station.

Designed by River City Design Group and built by River City Construction, East Peoria’s new fire station incorporates two 75-foot-long truck bays, a fitness area, a large mezzanine, a day room with a kitchen, and five bunk rooms for sleeping. The modern steel and masonry structure maximizes natural light and includes a hydronic floor heating system for user comfort and mechanical efficiency.

For the building’s exterior cladding, Western’s craftsmen installed insulation/sub-girts, single-skin metal wall panels, custom fabricated Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) metal wall panels, gutters, downspouts and associated trim. The metal roof installation included nail base insulation, a vapor barrier and metal roof panels. Sheet metal panels add a sleek look and personality to a build, plus they are long-lasting and cost-effective from the start, with efficient installation time and typically exceptionally low maintenance.

Western was challenged with a four-month schedule to complete the project, starting in July 2023. Due to an unexpected workforce shortage, Western’s sheet metal supervisor used his expertise and skill to custom fabricate the ACM panels and trim boxes for the various exterior penetrations in the metal wall panels to ensure the project was finished on time and within budget.

Have a project you need completed? Contact the Peoria branch today: https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/peoria/

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.         

Staircase Repair | Golden Valley, MN

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Finished staircase
Staircase in progress

Western Specialty Contractors’ Minneapolis Branch assisted with the design, layout and installation of a new staircase at an office tower just outside of downtown Minneapolis in Golden Valley, MN.

The 355,000-square-foot, 16-story office building was constructed in 1988 and renovated in 2024. Western was contracted in August 2024 to assist with a new staircase connecting a tenant’s ninth and tenth floors.

“The company preferred to connect its two floors with a common space stair instead of relying on the building’s elevator system. This connected floor design by the stairs provides a sense of unity from team to team and floor to floor, but performing this work in a completely occupied build was a challenge,” said Minneapolis Branch Manager David Grandbois.

Western worked with the project architect and engineer on the initial design and layout for the new stair opening on the tenth floor. The goal was to have the smallest impact on the concrete floor’s existing post-tension structure.

“We began by scanning the floor and locating the existing post tension design so that the stair opening could be created with the least amount of disruption to the least number of cables as possible to give the owner the desired stair opening,” said Grandbois.

After locating 18 post tension cables within the slab, Western’s crew worked to de-tension the cables, install 600 sq ft of carbon fiber reinforced fabric, then apply new end anchorages to re-stress the cables outside the anticipated stair opening in the floor. Western then saw-cut and removed 400 sq ft of reinforced, 8-inch concrete floor, then formed and poured an architectural, rounded concrete edge around the opening for the new staircase.

Western utilized CFRP wraps on the underside of the deck where the cables were cut to help support the slab while the work was being supported because they were not able to install the appropriate shoring needed due to other tenants located below.

Due to the dust and noise created during the concrete demolition, Western’s craftsmen took great care to contain as much dust as possible and worked only at night when noisy work was performed so as not to disrupt the building’s tenants.

Western completed the project within 2.5 months, on budget and within the tight timeline specified for its portion of the project.

Have a project you need completed? Contact the Minneapolis branch today: https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/minneapolis-branch/

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.         

Texas A&M Kyle Field | College Station, TX

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Kyle Field
Kyle Field

Western Specialty Contractors’ Houston, TX Branch used its expertise in waterproofing to mitigate water intrusion above the West Legacy Club at historic Kyle Field, home to Texas A&M University’s football team.

Located in College Station, Texas, Kyle Field Stadium has been home to the Texas A&M Aggie football team since 1927. The permanent seating on the east and west sides of Kyle Field was added in 1927, and the horseshoe was completed in 1929. The stadium was expanded in 1967 to include two decks of grandstands, and the third decks were added to the east and west sides in 1980. Known as “Home of the 12th Man”, its seating capacity of 102,733 makes it one of the five largest stadiums in collegiate football.

Western was contracted in April 2024 to apply 56,000 square feet of urethane coating to the deck above the stadium’s West Legacy Club to prevent water intrusion. Besides food/beverage spills and dirt, the deck’s surface was in good condition.

Most sports stadiums and arenas in the United States are made of reinforced and precast concrete with steel seating supports and railings. Unfortunately, an even more universal characteristic is their openness and vulnerability to the elements—in addition to the wear and tear they receive from fans. All of these forces combine to take a toll on their structural integrity.

Without routine maintenance and protection, these concrete structures are subject to cracking, spalling and structural damage from movement and reoccurring freeze and thaw cycles.

Western’s scope of work on Kyle Field included:

  • Applying epoxy around the handrail posts
  • Removing the seating
  • Pressure washing the deck
  • Replacing the control joint sealants
  • Installing a primer, base coat and textured topcoat
  • Re-installing seating after coating had cured

While in the middle of the project, Western’s crews were instructed to leave the project and remove all equipment for a George Strait concert and a soccer game at the stadium on June 15, 2024. Western was able to resume the project following the events and complete the work in August 2024, on schedule and within budget.

For more information about Western’s stadium restoration projects, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/stadium-restoration-2/

Have a project you need completed? Contact the Houston branch today: https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/houston/

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.         

Ridgedale Pedestrian Bridge | Minnetonka, MN

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After bridge restoration
Before bridge restoration

Western Specialty Contractors’ Minneapolis Branch contracted with S and S Development to restore a damaged pedestrian bridge connecting the four-story Ridgedale Office Center to its parking structure.

Years of severe winter weather had deteriorated the concrete bridge, and ultimately the collision of a horse trailer into the structure prompted its immediate repair. Western worked directly with the engineering firm Walker Consultants to design a replacement bridge railing system and estimate the repair work.

The scope of work included removing the bridge’s old steel railing system on all sides, replacing the outer concrete edge, and opening the precast plank’s outer core.

After Western removed the concrete, the structural components were inspected by Walker, who put the design into place.

Western then installed new supplemental reinforcing steel embeds into the precast plank structure and poured a new supporting edge on the outside of either side of the bridge. To create the edge, Western utilized a fast-setting, ready-mix concrete from a local plant and placed the concrete using a conveyor system to speed up the process and complete the project before winter set in.

During the construction process, Western workers ran into unexpected damage that prompted a slight change in plans.

“After we removed the old railing, we found that the outermost edge of the precast planks had a shear crack running longitudinally on both sides of the bridge,” said Western Minneapolis Branch Manager David Grandbois.

“It was determined that this had to be completely removed, and new reinforcing steel had to be embedded into the existing planks to allow for a new concrete edge to be poured before Western could install the new railings.”

David Grandbois, Western Specialty Contractors Minneapolis Branch Manager

Western performed additional concrete repairs on the underside of the bridge and the abutments on either end. After completing all the concrete repairs, Western installed new galvanized railings and applied a traffic coating to protect the newly restored concrete deck.

Western completed the project in two months and within budget.

For more information about Western’s concrete restoration services, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/concrete-services/.

Have a project you need completed? Contact the Minneapolis branch today: https://westernspecialtycontractors.com/minneapolis-branch/

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.         

Mondial River West Terrace | Chicago, IL

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The completed terrace after waterproofing and restoration by the Chicago branch

Western Specialty Contractors Chicago Masonry Branch recently waterproofed and restored a terrace at Mondial River West luxury apartments in Chicago, IL.

Located at 910 W Huron St., the 15-story apartment complex has 141 units and was built in 2009. Western was contacted by property management firm Willow Bridge Property Company to restore a private terrace shared by three units that was leaking due to failing waterproofing.

In the winter, freeze-thaw cycles can cause significant problems with outdoor concrete structures, such as terraces. When water infiltrates concrete, it can freeze, causing the water to occupy nine percent more volume than in its liquid state. This expansion causes distress on the concrete, which can lead to fractures that will continue to grow exponentially as the material’s saturation increases.

Applied over concrete, wood or steel, a variety of deck coatings are available to prevent leaks from penetrating to areas below. These coatings can also maintain the surface’s color and keep it looking like new for years. Recent technology has provided materials for these special coatings, which are ideal for suspended slabs, recreational roof decks, garages, patios, balconies, sun decks, areas around pools and other areas that require a durable surface.

Western’s waterproofing experts started the Mondial River West project by removing the terrace’s pedestal pavers and its 2-Ply modified-bitumen roof membrane down to the concrete deck. Crews then installed a liquid-applied membrane roof system to the deck, consisting of a primer and a Sika RoofPro 3-Coat System. The system included a base coat with membrane reinforcement, followed by an intermediate and topcoat application. Western then installed overburden and flashing materials, followed by reinstallation of the terrace’s original pedestal pavers.

Western completed the project in 2.5 months to the satisfaction of architect Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associations, Inc., and the property management company.

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Terrace waterproofing and restoration in progress

About Western Specialty Contractors

Family-owned and operated for over 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology.