Kansas City has a long and compelling city history, including the story of its commercial development. The city has been a pioneer in commercial construction in many ways, and Delta Innovative Services is proud to have played a role in that development since 1990. In the last three decades, we’ve worked hard to keep the city’s essential buildings covered with only the best roofing systems.
Let’s explore how commercial growth shaped Kansas City and made it the thriving Missouri city it is today can help you appreciate just how far it has come, especially when it comes to commercial roofing. Let’s explore how this city grew from humble beginnings and how commercial roof development over the decades kept businesses dry and safe since the very beginning.
Settlers Create a Fur-Trading Hub
French fur traders traveling along the Missouri River were the first to build cabins and settle in the area now known as Kansas City. These cabins were rustic and temporary, but it wasn’t long before commercial buildings were constructed at Westport Landing. That’s the site of what is now the still popular River Market neighborhood, which features many mixed-use developments with roof decks, glass roofing, and other attractive rooftop features that represent the peak of commercial roof development.
The first commercial buildings in the city were built along the river bluffs, and these high points with great views remain home to some of the most important commercial locations. Without upgrades to the roofing of historical buildings like the original Jeserich Building in downtown, these amazing examples of 1800s construction would not be with us today.
The City Market at 4th and Walnut was built in 1857. It was considered the “first shed expressly built to house commercial activities” in the city, acting as a major step in Kansas City commercial roof development. Today, it’s still used as the popular River Market hub, although it has definitely grown from a basic sheet metal-covered shed used for protecting vendors and political rally participants.
Growing Trade Across the City
As the city grew into a larger development, commercial buildings expanded rapidly. The city particularly grew in the West Bottoms area with stockyards, packing houses, and warehouses that did not last. Global agricultural brands like John Deere got a start in this area and still call it home today.
But why do so few of these early commercial structures remain? Hand-cut wood shingles were the material of the day for both residential and commercial construction.
While they might offer a wonderful appearance, they’re not exactly the most durable materials, especially in the humid environment around the Missouri River where most commercial development grew up. During this period, roofers began to switch to more durable and fire-resistant materials like clay tiles, metal sheets, and slate for high-end construction projects.
However, the arrival of the first built-up roofing designs also occurred during this period. While the original commercial roof development of coal tar, slag, and felt was a far cry from the long-lasting designs used today, it was still an important step in developing the low-slope roof style that has become synonymous with commercial roofing today.
The First Building Boom in Kansas City
While Kansas City was one of the fastest growing cities in the middle of the country for its time, construction really accelerated from the 1920s onward. In addition to the development of what’s considered the first auto-centric shopping center in the whole country, Kansas City saw growth in its downtown sector, with the building of icons that remain today, like the TWA Headquarters and Crown Center.
Slate roofing remained the most durable choice for commercial roof development during this time period, especially in the downtown area. While that gave the buildings an elegant and formal appearance, it also necessitated plenty of maintenance. Only a few of the original commercial shopping centers and office buildings erected during the city’s first building boom retain their original metal or slate roofs due to maintenance needs.
Breakthroughs in Auto-Centric Shopping Centers
Country Club Plaza, completed in 1940 after almost 20 years of planning, is considered the country’s first example of a shopping center designed with automobile traffic in mind. Despite having a Spanish Revival style that’s quite distinctive, these classic commercial buildings still feature the low-slope roofs you’ll see in almost all strip malls and similar plazas today, in Kansas City and beyond.
It’s still home to over 70 active shops and encompasses a covered area of more than a million square feet between retail and office space.
Building Roofs That Can Weather the Conditions
Kansas City has plenty of weather conditions that challenge the roofing materials used over the decades. The first settlers soon learned that wood shingles were quick to make and apply, but not capable of handling the humid river bluff conditions and summer rainstorms.
Today’s commercial buildings in the city rely on longer lasting modern materials like TPO, EPDM, PVC, and built-up systems. Single-ply roofing works great for older buildings that aren’[t designed to hold up a heavier roof, while there are options for mimicking the look of slate or clay tiles with low-maintenance resin and metal materials.
Sheet metal remains an option today, but the architectural metal roofing we install on Kansas City commercial buildings lasts longer, looks better, and needs less maintenance than anything used in the past. It’s easier than ever to honor the history of commercial roof development in the area while still enjoying the durability and low maintenance requirements of modern materials.
Delta Innovative Services Launches Commercial Roofing Services for Kansas City
Delta Innovative Services has played a large role in Kansas City commercial roof development since its founding in 1990. Over the last 35 years, we’ve handled thousands of projects for clients needing everything from minor roof maintenance to complete re-designs and roof replacements.
We bring the skills, experience, and local knowledge needed to solve the challenges affecting the city’s commercial roofs. Over the years, we’ve grown to become one of the area’s biggest and most capable roofing companies. That means we’ve expanded beyond just basic roof services to focus on the entire building envelope, from patio roof additions to fire-resistant cladding.
Our experience and protocol-based approach is applied to every project, from the smallest to the largest. We provide the same excellence of service to each client, ensuring satisfaction with our repairs, maintenance services, and roofing installations. Start from scratch with a Delta Services roof design on your new construction or restore a historical Kansas City building with a replacement appropriate to its original period.
Growing Together in Kansas City
Finding the right contractor is the key to tapping into the most recent commercial roof development options. Many roofing contractors only work with a few materials and systems, limiting your opportunities to explore newer designs or unusual options.
For example, many Kansas City business owners want distinctive and historical looks on their new buildings to match the surrounding features. Some districts heavily limit the use of modern commercial roof designs. You need an experienced team to help you create exactly the roof design you want while still meeting any local code restrictions, zoning requirements, and building limitations.
Delta Innovative Services has spent the last 35 years helping Kansas City commercial roof development grow, and we’re ready to continue that journey. We can partner with almost any commercial development project or help with existing structures by providing services like:
- Roof maintenance, including debris removal, inspections, leak testing, and any necessary work like patching and sealing
- Complete roofing repairs, starting with the careful removal of any damaged materials before the installation of new roofing as needed
- Re-roofing and roof replacements, with the disposal of old roofing materials included while the new and more durable roofing system are installed
- New roof construction, from the design through installation and ongoing maintenance
- In-house fabrication of unique architectural metal designs appropriate for both roof and siding installation
- Roof restoration and coating, improving the energy efficiency of dark roofs and extending the life of materials experiencing wear
- Advice and decision making assistance, helping you choose between the many options available for commercial roofing
We want to partner with you to bring your commercial roofing plans to fruition, even if they involve unique design challenges. Roof decks, green roofs, and extended roof patio areas are all within our wheelhouse, and we can show you how we’ve solved these challenges on previous projects to assure you of our skills.
Facing the Future of Commercial Roof Development in Kansas City
Commercial roof development continues to evolve with each passing year, and these roofs must do more than ever before. The first commercial buildings in Kansas City were little more than sheds with roofs that barely lasted a decade before leaking or needing repairs. Today’s commercial roof systems from Delta Innovative Services can go decades before needing work, even with only minimal maintenance.
Your commercial roof could provide better insulation value, withstand extreme weather conditions, or provide a source of energy production with our help. We’ll work with you to create new and unusual building designs, including custom cladding or architectural metal options to complete the look. Explore our services and our completed projects to learn more about what we can do for you.
Delta Innovative Services has over 250 years of combined experience and has provided commercial roofing services to the Kansas City area for the past 35 years. Get in touch with us today to find out what we can do for you.