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Marblehead Commissioner Stephen Cummings stood atop the Mary Alley Municipal Building Friday morning, surveying a construction crew as workers installed thick foam insulation panels across the aging structure. The building commissioner showed The Marblehead Independent progress on a $450,000 roof replacement funded through voter-approved bonds three years ago.
The project replaces a deteriorating tar and gravel roof that has served the municipal office building for more than three decades. Cummings said the aging system had reached the end of its useful life.
“As you can see, though, this roof is approximately 30 years old. Plus, so it’s time. It’s leaking,” Cummings said.
The work is part of Article 11, which voters approved with $24.3 million in debt exclusion overrides in a June 2022 special election. The article included $8.977 million dedicated specifically to roof replacements across multiple town facilities.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer confirmed during a recent Select Board meeting that both the Mary Alley and Jacobi Community Center roof projects are moving forward as approved.
“Both of these projects were approved at Town Meeting, debt exclusions, basically take care of our building. So those projects are in the works, and won’t be long before they get done,” Kezer said.
The Mary Alley project involves replacing the old system with a modern ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber roof, a durable material designed to last decades. Cummings said the upgrade includes substantial improvements to the building’s insulation.
“The building itself has great bones. The roof is a concrete deck, but it’s just a 30-year-old tar and gravel roof that’s gone past its life expectancy, and so we’re upgrading it with a newer, more modern style roof system, an ethylene propylene diene monomer, also known as rubber roof,” Cummings said.
The original roof included just two inches of insulation. The new system increases that to five inches, improving energy efficiency while addressing structural concerns. Cummings said the manufacturer will inspect the completed work and provide a warranty.
“We’re upgrading to five inches of insulation with the ethylene propylene diene monomer, and we’ll get anywhere from a 20 to a 30-year warranty,” he said.
The roof replacement represents the first phase of planned improvements to the Mary Alley Building. Future projects approved at Town Meeting include upgrading the HVAC system and repairing the building’s elevator, which has not functioned in 20 years. Cummings said addressing the roof first follows a logical sequence for building preservation.
The town achieved cost savings by hiring one architect to design both the Mary Alley and Jacobi Community Center roof projects, then bidding them together as a package.
“We hired an architect to design both roofs to save some money, and so happily, we bid them together. So we have the same roofing company, and both projects are going at the same time,” Cummings said.
The Jacobi Community Center project involves both metal and rubber roofing systems. Cummings said crews face seasonal challenges with temperature and morning moisture affecting the EPDM installation. Workers often begin the day at Mary Alley, then shift to the community center once conditions improve around 10 a.m
Cummings, who previously worked as a contractor, said he takes personal pride in maintaining Marblehead’s municipal properties. He views roof replacements as a critical first step in preserving aging buildings.
“I just want to preserve the town buildings. I think one of the key factors is start from the roof down,” Cummings said.
Weather permitting, Cummings expects the Mary Alley project to be completed by Dec. 1. The roof covers approximately 10,000 square feet.
