Preserving the past with modern metal solutions

By Drexel Metals. 

A Florida restoration project shows how Drexel Metals’ innovative solutions can protect historic structures without sacrificing their original character. 

Preserving historic architecture while meeting modern performance demands is no easy task, but Drexel Metals demonstrates how it can be done in its case study, “Historic Cade Allen Residence: Preserving history with metal.” As a leading provider of engineered metal roofing and architectural systems, Drexel Metals is known for delivering durable, energy-efficient solutions across a wide range of applications.  

In this project, the company’s expertise is applied to a historically significant residence, where maintaining architectural integrity was just as critical as improving long-term performance. By carefully balancing aesthetics with durability, the team proved that metal roofing can replicate the timeless look required by preservation standards while delivering superior longevity and protection. 

Project preview: Cade Allen’s Foster Grove House 

Cade Allen, an early 20th-century developer and homebuilder, left a lasting mark on St. Petersburg, Florida, specifically the historic Allendale neighborhood, with his distinctive architectural style and commitment to quality workmanship. His works are typically characterized by meticulous exterior stonework (he started as a mason and carpenter) and Mediterranean and Spanish Revival-inspired design elements, like vaulted wood-beam ceilings and arch-top windows and doors. 

One of his earliest projects, the Foster Grove House, is one of several Cade Allen residences in St. Pete that meet the strict local standards to be designated as a historic landmark. In fact, it was the very first home that Allen occupied with his own family. It came with the purchase of a sprawling 160-acre citrus grove, which Allen purchased from the Foster family in 1923. Allen and his sons would spend the next 30+ years building 40 houses on the citrus grove property and surrounding area to create what we now know as the Allendale neighborhood. Because of its historical significance, the Foster Grove House required careful preservation and oversight during a summer 2025 renovation project. 

Further, this re-roofing project represents a turning point for how historic homes in hurricane-prone regions can be preserved. “As far as I know, this is the first designated historic home in Florida that has received approval to have asphalt shingles replaced with metal roofing,” said Jeremy Wood, general manager at GMR Metal Roofs. GMR installed the house’s new metal roof, which was fabricated by Innovative Sheet Metals, a Drexel Metals Plus Member, using Drexel Metals’ coil. “It sets a precedent for future projects, showing that we can protect historic structures better with a metal roof without sacrificing their character.” 

Read the full case study to learn more about how advanced metal systems like Drexel Metals can extend the life of historic structures.