Severe damage by Hurricane Wilma forced the Northeast Dade Branch Library in Aventura, Fla. to close in October 2005. The extreme wind and rain from the storm significantly damaged the library’s roof and exterior as well the furnishings and books inside. It took nearly a decade for the building to be demolished and replaced with a new $15 million facility that opened in 2015.
The new 26,482 square-foot library is twice the size of the building it replaced. It houses 22,260 books, 8,592 DVDs and CDs, and multiple computers, as well as a 100-seat auditorium. So when it came time to choose a roof for the new library, the building owner knew it needed a roofing system that was built to last. The project called for a durable, reliable roof that could protect the library’s valuable materials for years to come. The city of Aventura knew from experience how devastating a roof leak could be to this library, and wanted the building to be protected from high winds, heavy rain and other severe weather.