The Bakery Building History 

The Nolde brothers came from a long line of bakers in Richmond, VA. In 1907, the five-brother team expanded their baking business and created Nolde Brothers, Inc., a wholesale bakery. By 1950, the baking operation had grown to three area plants producing almost a million loaves per week to be sold nationally. In 1974, the Interstate Brands Corp. of Kansas City purchased the Nolde business and closed the Richmond location just three years later.

The original Nolde bakery building in Richmond remained vacant from 1975 until 2005 when a developer purchased the property and converted it into a 77-unit condominium building. Many of the two-story brick building’s unique interior features were reclaimed and used during the condo conversion project. A 60 mil EPDM with 2” ISO insulation was installed as the roof assembly in 2006 with a 20-year manufacturer warranty provided.

The Roofing Situation – Too Many Leaks & Repairs 

By 2021, the frequency of leaks and cost of roof repairs had exceeded $15K per year. Unfortunately, the 20-Year manufacturer warranty had been voided in 2010 because an unauthorized contractor used flashing cement (a non-compliant EPDM repair material) to make repairs.

The reserve study (a capital budget planning tool that identifies the reserve funds needed to offset the ongoing deterioration of building components) listed the estimated life expectancy of the roof to end in 2038.

The 59,000 s.f. black EPDM membrane endured 16 seasons of freeze-thaw and UV exposure. The roof has 77 HVAC systems that are serviced by several different contractors and a water tower with a cellphone tower attached at the top, which includes a cell phone agreement for maintenance and equipment installation. With all this foot traffic, equipment, and seasonal exposure to the elements, it’s no surprise the rubber roof deteriorated at an accelerated rate. 

Each condominium association collects dues to fund the operating reserve or capital improvement projects. The Nolde Bakery Condominium Association’s five-year capital improvement project costs exceeded their budget. A roof assessment fee was required for the roof restoration project, to be paid by each owner based on their percentage of ownership.

First, the Association’s board of directors gathered quotes to remove the existing roof assembly and replace it with an R-30 single-ply roof. Installing a new roof required permits, dumpsters, disruption to the owners and tenants, and raising all 77 HVAC units, and the bids came in between $1.2M and $1.7M.

The Association expanded their second round of bids to include roof coating restoration options. The Gaco silicone roofing solution checked all the boxes. The silicone roof coating was CRRC Cool Roof Rated for high solar reflectivity and emissivity, had countless project profiles available for review,  and offered minimal interruption to the owners during the installation process. 

The Silicone Solution 

The Association’s board of directors ultimately awarded the winning bid to All Florida Urethane from Melbourne, Florida. All Florida Urethane was selected because they were timely with their bid submission and demonstrated a clear understanding of the application process and timeline. The silicone roofing system bid was a fraction of the price of the roof removal and replacement bids.

Thanks to All Florida Urethane and the silicone roof coating system from Gaco, the Association will achieve a seamless roof. Plus, they can enjoy lower energy costs from the cool roof coating, non-sacrificial material that extends the life of the existing roof membrane, and a sustainability contribution by saving the existing roof from being removed and sent to the landfill.