OPA-LOCA CITY HALL - HISTORICAL RE-ROOFING PROJECT

When we found this project on our RoofersCoffeeShop.com Instagram feed we couldn't wait to follow it's progress.   Z Roofing & Waterproofing was kind enough to share this story and photos with us. We would like to congratulate them on being entrusted with such a special project.

Z Roofing writes: "Florida was experiencing a boom in new housing back in 1920 when Glen Curtis contracted with architect Bernard Muller to design a town that looked like it was straight-out of “Arabian Nights.” This was the beginning of the City of Opa-locka which Curtis incorporated in 1926 as an “Arabian Fantasy.”

The inspiration for the weird development came from the 1924 film “The Thief of Baghdad” which starred Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Between 1925 and 1928, Curtis constructed 105 structures, including a train station and city hall, all with spiral staircases, onion-shaped domes, minarets and towers that would have pleased any sheik.

Our next Historical roofing job! The Domes will be white soon, Garland White Knight & the rest GAF built-up modified 20 year system. Standinding seam metal roof at the towers and Barcelona 900 at the court yard! This roof has a little bit of every type of system in it. Delivery by our Partners in business Willoughby Supply.

The individual homes, each with its own minaret, were 1000 square foot bungalows that sold for about 1300 dollars in 1927. The streets were laid out with Arabian names like Sesame, Shakar, Ali Baba, Cairo, Harem, and Sharazad which was shortened from Schekerezade because no one could pronounce it. When it was finished in 1928, this Baghdad of Dade County boasted the largest collection of Moorish architecture in the United States. The only thing missing were camels and a desert. When Florida governor, John Martin visited in 1927 he was welcomed at the train station by city officials wearing turbans and dressed like sheiks and mounted on white horses.

The town was severely damaged in the 1926 hurricane, which destroyed some of the original buildings, but Curtis kept his project going building a golf course, hotel, and a zoological garden. When the Florida land boom ended, Glen Curtis deeded the town to the county.

Opa-locka is well-known in military history for its airport that was previously a base for blimps and later home to one of the Goodyear blimps. This was the airport from which Amelia Earhart launched her ill-fated flight around the world. But it’s Opa-locka’s Moorish-style City Hall that attracts so much attention. With its colorful onion-shaped domes, keyhole archways, fountains, towers, and palm-shaded courtyard it looks like it belongs in Persia."

We look forward to more photos of the progress on this historical re-roofing project and we look forward to seeing the finished project!

Z Roofing & Waterproofing has been providing quality service in the commercial, residential, and industrial roofing industry since 1998. They are experienced, certified specialists with combined experience and extensive knowledge of over 30 years. "At ZRW we take pride in our work and concentrate on exceeding our customers’ expectations. We strive to create long term relationships with our clients by offering quality, integrity and long-term value" - Z Roofing & Waterproofing

http://zroofing.com/

Changing wood planks and beams, I think 80% of the wood has to go, Dry rot - Roofers looking like warriors.