Centre County’s Willowbank Building will be getting a much needed new roof in 2022.
The county Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to award a contract to Altoona Roofing for replacement of the roof. Altoona Roofing’s bid of $805,750 was “considerably lower than all of the other bids we had brought in,” Lee Sheaffer, director of facilities management, said.
Tremco was previously approved as the manufacturer for the roof. Sheaffer said that while he had not worked with Altoona Roofing in the past, Tremco has for more than 20 years.
“I was also able to reach out to a gentleman at Southern Huntingdon School District. They had a likewise project in the neighborhood of 1.4 million — same installation as what we are looking at,” Sheaffer said. “Tremco also will also be on site from day one of the project through the end and they also hold the 30-year warranty.”
A Tremco representative said that work would likely begin in the spring because temperatures need to be above 40 degrees for the materials being used in the construction.
Sheaffer noted that with ongoing supply chain issues and material shortages, the contract now will protect the county from seeing the cost escalate.
“We’re expecting a big price increase in the next two months so you guys are locked in,” the Tremco representative said.
The current roof on the Willowbank Building — which houses the county’s administrative office — is more than 30 years old and has deteriorated over time. That has been exacerbated by damage caused by black vultures, which for several years have roosted and put holes in the roof. The county has spent thousands of dollars in repairs and deterrents as a result of the birds.
“It’s going to be a large expense but it’s so important,” Commissioner Michael Pipe said in October, when the county put the project out for bid. “It’s a generational investment and so it’s about time we take a look at it.”
Only the Willowbank roof will be replaced under the contract, although contractors also submitted bids for replacement of the Centre County Courthouse roof.
Shaeffer said Altoona Roofing was also the low bidder for the courthouse project and he expected the company would honor the quoted price if the county decides to move forward with it in the near future.
