Synthetic Slate Used on 1884 Historic Home Renovation
Marrying the old with the new, Embrey Partners has restored the historic Garvey-Viehl-Kelley house in Fort Worth, Texas. Topped with synthetic slate from DaVinci Roofscapes, the home will serve as the clubhouse, management leasing offices and library for a new 353-unit multi-family community.
“The Kelly at Samuels Avenue” development sits on 10-acres with vibrant views of downtown Fort Worth. The Garvey-Viehl-Kelly house also sits on Samuels Avenue. The Queen Anne style residence was built for grocery store owner William B. Garvey in 1884. The house was sold in 1918 to Robert C. Veihl, and then to G.S. Kelley in 1972.
Designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1993, it fell on hard times. In 2013 the Victorian-period home was listed on the Fort Worth Endangered List.
“This beautiful home is too important in the history of Fort Worth to allow it to continue to deteriorate,” said John Kirk, executive vice president of development for Embrey Partners, in 2017. “We are excited to bring back such a rare jewel from its current state of abandonment and to have it be an integral part of our overall project.”
Preserving History
With the backing of Embrey, restoration began on the prestigious home in early 2017. Greater Dallas & Associates, LLC was brought in to install new DaVinci synthetic slate roofing materials. It took almost a year to perfectly update the historic property.
“There was a wood shake roof under metal shingles when we started,” says Sandy Curtis, president of Greater Dallas & Associates. “It was in very poor condition and definitely needed to be replaced.
“There was a lot of detailed work involved in this project. We used DaVinci Slate on the main roof areas of the home itself. On the bell tower we switched to Multi-Width Slate to give the project a unique, authentic look.”
All DaVinci synthetic slate roofing materials are made to withstand severe weather, fire, impact and insects. DaVinci tiles are constructed of a composite material made of pure virgin resins, UV and thermal stabilizers. There’s also a highly-specialized fire retardant. The company’s state-of-the-art tiles are crafted with the greatest degree of color control and consistency in the manufacturing process. The result is an enduring roof that performs beautifully in any climate.
The Garvey-Viehl-Kelley residence will now serve as a central feature for the multi-family community in Fort Worth. The Kelley opens in the summer of 2018, bringing life back into a historic neighborhood.