Historic St. Paul’s Cathedral in Oklahoma City Gets Fire Brick Red Polymer Roof

LENEXA, KAN. – Almost two decades after the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the heavily-damaged St. Paul’s Cathedral and Parish House near the blast site finally have new, long-lasting polymer roofs overhead.

The 1904 Norman-Gothic church structure, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was badly damaged during the tragic Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. In the rebuilding aftermath, a roof was added that failed during the ensuing years. Now, after extensive research, the church has invested in a durable DaVinci Roofscapes® composite slate roof in an attractive fire brick red color.

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“Our Roof and Restoration Committee did extensive research into roof replacement options and also consulted with our architect, Mass Architects, Inc.,” says Mike Murphy, a member of St. Paul’s church and a director at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. “The primary reasons we selected the DaVinci Multi-Width Slate product were the low-maintenance factor coupled with the roof’s impact- and fire-resistancy features. The 50-year limited warranty available from the manufacturer and the ability to get the roofing tile in the fire brick red color we wanted really sold us on the product.”

Originally opened 110 years ago, St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of the oldest church communities in downtown Oklahoma City. The church expanded dramatically in 1982 and now includes four large structures. The bombing in 1995 did substantial damage for St. Paul’s Cathedral, lifting the roof and splaying the walls outward. After two years of closure, the Cathedral was opened following a massive renovation of the entire church complex.

“The roof put on after the bombing was a hard, composite material,” says Murphy. “Over time they failed, with an abundance of breaking and leaking. Our research brought us to DaVinci, and we’re very pleased with the results. The new roofs have been up since early in 2014 and the bright, attractive red color now serves to highlight our location in the community.”

The experienced team members at DaVinci Roofscapes develop and manufacture industry-leading polymer slate and shake roofing systems with an authentic look and superior performance. DaVinci leads the industry in the greatest selection of colors, tile thickness and tile width variety. The company’s reliable products have a 50-year limited warranty and are 100 percent recyclable. All DaVinci high-performing roofing products are proudly made in America where the company is a member of the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Roofing Contractors, the Cool Roof Rating Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. For information call 1-800-328-4624 or visit www.davinciroofscapes.com.