Roofing for a king

A landmark on Penn State’s campus, The Nittany Lion Inn, State College, Pa., has been a beloved gathering spot for Penn State alumni and a significant icon of the university’s heritage for nearly a century. Situated in an oak grove opposite Penn State’s White Golf Course, the inn was constructed following the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. The Georgian colonial-style inn with blue and white Dutch architectural elements opened in 1931 and has since been a cornerstone of the University Park campus.

In 2020, the inn was closed to the public and used as temporary student housing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was sold to the Scholar Hotel Group, Ardmore, Pa., and underwent extensive renovations for 16 months until reopening Sept. 3, 2024.

Part of the remodeling project included replacing 20,548 square feet of natural slate on the inn’s roof. NRCA member GSM Roofing, Ephrata, Pa., was selected as the roofing contractor for the project.

Prep

During summer 2023, GSM Roofing was in negotiations with State College-based R.H. Marcon Inc., an NRCA member that served as project manager and primary contact to the general contractor, to install synthetic slate shingles on The Nittany Lion Inn.

“R.H. Marcon invited us to bid on the installation,” says Rob Nauroth, estimator and project estimator for GSM Roofing. “As a charter member of the National Slate Association, my initial thought was ‘We need to switch this to natural slate.’ However, after multiple discussions with our EcoStar® representative and careful consideration of the challenge of installing natural slate on a 17:12 slope, it became clear an alternative material was the better choice. It not only simplified installation but also provided cost savings for the client.

“With that in mind, we renegotiated the contract and were selected for the project. As this was our first time using an EcoStar product, we applied to become a Gold Star Authorized Applicator, allowing us to offer the building owner a comprehensive 50-year total system warranty.”

The on-site GSM Roofing crew received training to install EcoStar Majestic Slate™ at GSM Roofing’s shop in Ephrata and received hands-on instruction on The Nittany Lion Inn job site. After completing the training, the crew removed the existing slate and underlayment down to the tongue-and-groove wood deck from the inn’s roof areas that were not replaced 35 years ago. These areas included mansard roofs in two courtyards and 35 dormers.

Installation

To ensure a safe environment for the crew working at heights greater than three stories, scaffolding was erected at six locations along with kick-rails and an elevator for loading materials to the roof.

“Our five-person crew was led by Dave Hoffer, steep-slope foreman for GSM Roofing, who ensured strict adherence to all safety guidelines set by NRCA, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, National Slate Association, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and EcoStar,” Nauorth says.

After replacing rotted wood roof deck sections, crew members attached EcoStar Aqua Guard™ synthetic sheet underlayment to the deck using cap nails. At eaves, valleys, transitions and penetrations, the team applied EcoStar Glacier Guard™ 100 self-adhering rubberized asphalt, fiberglass-reinforced membrane.

EcoStar Majestic Slate in Midnight Gray was chosen to match the original natural slate roof areas. To install the 18- by 12-inch tiles with a 7-inch exposure, the team used pneumatic nail guns and 1 1/2-inch stainless-steel ring shank nails. The team repaired damaged old slate using a combination of natural and synthetic slate, blending older areas with the new slate.

New step flashings, counterflashings, drip edges, aprons, J-channels, valleys and 6-inch half-round gutters and downspouts were fabricated from 20-ounce copper by GSM Roofing craftsmen. In addition, the team installed 636 new snow guards.

“We aimed to match the existing cast-iron snow guards, but cast iron was not available, so we opted for aluminum,” Nauroth explains.

A majority of the project was completed in late 2023 with remaining areas finished in 2024. To qualify for the Gold Star manufacturer’s warranty, EcoStar’s technical team conducted an inspection of phase one work in December 2023 with four more inspections conducted in 2024.

“The in-progress inspection revealed no punch-list items, and the final inspection was completed with a clean slate,” Nauroth says.

A legacy restored

Thanks to GSM Roofing’s dedication to providing its client with an optimal, cost-effective roofing solution that preserved original aesthetics, the team learned and mastered new installation skills to successfully restore the roof system on The Nittany Lion Inn while also completing the work one week ahead of schedule.

“GSM Roofing’s workmanship and dedication to providing top-notch labor using outstanding skills enhanced the results of this project,” says Katie McCarthy, marketing manager for EcoStar. “The finished installation is phenomenal and provides excellent curb appeal. The success of this project will ensure many years of performance of the roof system for future generations. Everyone involved with the project deserves the highest regards in the execution and completion of this job.”

“This project was a perfect fit for GSM Roofing’s expertise in handling complex, steep-slope roofing installations that demand precision and skill,” Nauroth adds. “It was an incredible opportunity for our crew to work with EcoStar slate for the first time, and it delivered outstanding results. The finished roof is nothing short of breathtaking!”

CHRYSTINE ELLE HANUS is Professional Roofing’s associate editor and an NRCA director of communications.