Prototype for the Future
New Metal Roof for Hospital in Whitehouse, Texas
by Rob Heselbarth, director of communications, PAC-CLAD Petersen
In East Texas, the sparkling new Herrington-Ornelas HealthPark is unrivaled in its comprehensive offering of advanced healthcare services, fitness options, and specialty care. Located in Whitehouse, Texas, the 43,500 sq.ft. facility is the largest HealthPark in the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System. The non-profit, regional system operates eight hospitals and 82 clinics.
Architectural design for the project, created by Harris Craig Architects, Tyler, Texas, relies heavily on the standing seam metal roof and metal wall panel systems for its contemporary, modern appearance. Four PAC-CLAD® profiles were included in the exterior material palette. The design team specified approximately 6,000 sq.ft. of Petersen’s PAC-CLAD 24-gauge Snap-Clad™ panels finished in champagne metallic for the roof. The façade was created using 24-gauge Precision Series HWP panels in dark bronze color; .032” aluminum flush panels; and 24-gauge custom-fabricated coping.
“The hospital wanted to modernize its medical office building look to present a more contemporary feel and relevance to modern healthcare practice while still referencing some of the traditional design elements of current buildings,” said architect Brice Harris. “The design is somewhat of a prototype for the future. We sought to honor the objective of modernizing the look but also pay respect to where the health system has been. The roof was designed to echo other structures in the system. They share the prominent use of the gable on the building but here we brought it forward into a contemporary design aesthetic.”
The decision to use metal for the roof was made early in the process, but the design team went through several iterations with the client before selecting the horizontal wall panels for the façade. “Several other materials were considered, including a concrete panel product before we landed on the metal panel look. The client was excited about it,” Harris said.
Petersen regional sales manager Clay Snyder provided several sample panels for the design team to consider. “I rely on Snyder and Petersen for a lot of my metal panel questions,” Harris said. “Those guys are invaluable to us for understanding how the profiles are best utilized from a material efficiency standpoint as well as from a design and detailing perspective.”
Installation of the PAC-CLAD roof and wall panels was done by Tyler Roofing in Tyler, Texas. The fabrication of the panels was done at Petersen’s nearby Tyler manufacturing facility. The trim, parapets, flashing, and components were fabricated in Tyler Roofing’s shop with metal provided by Petersen.
“We’ve been doing standing seam roofs for more than 20 years,” said Tommy Ray Sukiennik, a 24-year veteran of the company, which was founded by his father and uncle. “Lately we’ve been doing a lot of wall panels, including Petersen HWP panels and flush mounts. This job was relatively straightforward, although at some points we had to tie in the TPO roof with the metal on the parapet wall and the exterior wall.”
The wall panels were installed using scissor lifts and ladders. “We kept running a laser to make sure everything was horizontal and lined up. Then we finished it off with the trim and cap. We tied everything into the expansion joints and trimmed it out so it was as clean as could be,” Sukiennik added.
Herrington-Ornelas HealthPark benefits greatly from the careful planning done by Tyler Roofing and Harris Craig Architects. By utilizing PAC-CLAD products, the healthcare facility can rely on its new standing seam metal roof and continue to do what it does best: offer the community of East Texas quality state-of-the-art, comprehensive health care services.
