Pioneering Urban Loft Space in Atlanta

Bass Lofts, a design-forward urban loft project in a trendy Atlanta neighborhood, is now pioneering the loft movement in the city. Retrofitted from public schools built in the 1920s, the structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings sat empty in the middle of a rapidly-transforming neighborhood in Atlanta known as Little Five Points. The area has an abundance of new eateries, boutiques and live music and the new lofts were one of the first multifamily residences to be built there.

Larimer/Shannon Group, the development specialists on the project that helped design the structure and specify products, wanted to respect the integrity of the former two school buildings: a classroom building and a gymnasium. Their mission also applied to the roof, which had to be completely replaced without disturbing the historical aesthetic of the building.

To abide by the historical and city guidelines, Larimer/Shannon Group selected a fully adhered UltraPly™ TPO Roofing System from Firestone Building Products with polyiso insulation, high-density cover boards and an UltraPly TPO Walkway Pad.

Installers from Sentry Roof Services – who won the bid against four other contractors – had several challenges on their hands. First, installers had to identify the source of several leaks in the old roof that allowed water to seep into the walls and cause damage to the internal structure. After waterproofing the walls, contractors could then turn their attention to the roof.

“The building had areas that didn’t drain properly, so we had to engineer the appropriate drainage by adding a ½-inch slope,” said Sentry Roof Services’ Bill Lomel. “We had to find a low-rise foam adhesive that didn’t disturb the old concrete deck, so we turned to Firestone Building Products.”

Once a public school in the 1920s, Bass Lofts was retrofitted to accompany the modern feel of Atlanta’s lively Little Five Points neighborhood while still preserving the historic look and feel of the original structure.

The team used Firestone’s I.S.O. Twin Pack Insulation Adhesive, a two-component, low-rise polyurethane adhesive designed for anchoring roof insulation to substrates that adhere to multiple layers of insulation. The I.S.O. Twin Pack, an example of Firestone’s focus on environmental responsibility, contains no solvents, near zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and no harmful hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) or chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Contractors also faced the added challenge of working around more than 100 HVAC units scattered throughout the roof. Building owner Clark Ventures also knew this would mean the roof would be subject to high traffic from people servicing the HVAC units, and challenged Larimer/Shannon Group with designing a system that protected the roof while also providing access points for the mechanical service personnel.

The solution was Firestone Building Products UltraPly TPO Walkway Pad, a reinforced walkway composed of white thermoplastic material. With a textured surface and a smooth bottom that easily welded to the TPO roofing membrane, the walkway pad will protect the roof from unnecessary damage caused by foot traffic. Made from recycled materials, the reflective white surface also reduces thermal expansion.

The walkway pads made the roof system eligible for a 20-year Firestone Red Shield warranty with an additional puncture endorsement. This is a special cut and puncture rider for specific projects where design management is overseen by a professional roofing consultant, providing an extra layer of protection to the building envelope.

Due to Firestone Building Products durable roofing solutions, Bass Lofts was able to maintain the historically crafted look that respects the architectural details of the 1920s. Today, residents of Bass Lofts are able to enjoy all the amenities of the Little 5 Points neighborhood while living in one of the area’s most enduring buildings.