Photo by Steven Allen Adams The Capitol Building Commission voted Tuesday for a plan to replace the roof on the West Virginia Culture Center.

CHARLESTON – Members of the Capitol Building Commission voted Tuesday in favor of a new roof replacement plan for the West Virginia Culture Center that makes slight changes to the appearance of the nearly 50-year-old building.

Tim Lee, building engineer with the General Services Division, provided commission members with a briefing for the comprehensive replacement of the Culture Center’s 40,000- to 50,000-square-foot ballasted roof, which is currently in a state of disrepair.

“It’s a ballasted roof, meaning it’s got covered with rock,” Lee said. “The roof is in bad condition. I’ve been up there many times … it is in very poor condition, inside and out.”

The proposed project involves transitioning from a stone-covered surface to a modern synthetic rubber system. The planned 90-mil EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) system has a 30-year warranty and is intended to improve insulation and eliminate persistent leaks. Pickering and Associates is the architect for the project.

“That’s pretty much what General Services is doing with every roof that we’re doing,” Lee said. “So, we’re hoping to have a little better insulation.” 

The primary focus of Tuesday’s commission meeting was to review a proposal for installation of new safety railings and tie points on the roof. To preserve the architectural integrity of the building, the majority of the railings will be set back 15.5 feet from the roof’s edge to minimize visibility. In areas where setbacks are not feasible, neutral tan or galvanized finishes will be used to blend with the limestone exterior.

“We want to try to make sure that that rail is painted into a color that blends in, so it’ll be less noticeable,” Lee said. “That’s the primary reason the building commission is reviewing this roof project. All in all, it’s a roof project, but there’s historical significance to it. … The biggest change is not going to be to the majority of the building; it’s going to be where the fly rail is.”

The Capitol Building Commission is charged with reviewing and approving or rejecting changes to the State Capitol Complex, including the buildings and grounds. Other structures in the Capitol Complex include the State Capitol Building and the Governor’s Mansion.

Meredith Dreistadt, acting deputy state historic preservation officer, told the commission that the safety railings would not affect the historical significance of the Culture Center.

“These railings are not fixed to the rooftop,” Dreistadt said. “They’re almost like what we consider furniture in the preservation world where they are movable. Even though they’re solidly heavy enough to be in place, they are movable.”

The West Virginia Culture Center, formerly the West Virginia Science and Culture Center, was dedicated by the late former Gov. Arch Moore on July 11, 1976. The building is considered an example of the brutalist architectural style used from the 1950s through the 1970s.

The Culture Center is home to the State Archives, the State Museum, the Norman L. Fagan State Theater and the West Virginia Library Commission, with its reference room.

During the recent legislative session, lawmakers passed House Bill 5685, authorizing up to $150 million in bonds for improvements for the Culture Center. During testimony and a tour of the facility by lawmakers earlier this year, officials with the Department of Tourism explained that the Culture Center needed major capital improvements, such as new HVAC systems and electrical and plumbing upgrades.

“It will be very good to get that moving and have a roof that does not leak. That would be great,” said Ennis Smith, deputy secretary and chief development officer for the Department of Tourism.