Robley Rex VA Medical Center Roofing Project, Phase One
AGENCY: Department of Veteran Affairs
LOCATION: Louisville, KY
SIZE: $2,113,112
PRIME: AACON General Contractors
AWARD DATE: May 2021
COMPLETED: March 2023
AACON General Contractors served as prime contractor for the Design-Bid-Build roof replacement at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The project involved the complete replacement of a 35,830-square-foot low-sloped roof while the facility remained fully occupied, requiring precise coordination, safety management, and adherence to strict VA construction and infection control protocols.
AACON provided all labor, materials, equipment, and supervision to perform a full Modified Bitumen roofing system installation, along with all associated demolition and ancillary work. The team removed deteriorated roofing systems, expansion joints, flashing, insulation, gutters, downspouts, and equipment supports before preparing the deck for the new roofing assembly. All curbs were raised to the required flashing height, deteriorated wood blocking was replaced, and new substrate repairs were performed to restore structural stability and ensure long-term roof performance.
The installation scope included two layers of polyisocyanurate insulation (R-25 value), a half-inch coverboard, and an ultra-white reflective Modified Bitumen cap sheet membrane designed to enhance energy efficiency and durability. AACON also installed new equipment supports, aluminum flashing, drain strainers, clamping collars, metal coping, and walk pads, along with replacement ladders, stairs, and crossovers. The project concluded with the reinstallation and certification of the Lightning Protection System (LPS), completed in accordance with NFPA, LPI, and UL standards.
In addition to the roof replacement, AACON addressed stormwater management improvements, replacing gutters, downspouts, and scupper liners to ensure proper drainage and prevent future water infiltration.
The project presented several challenges, including coordination delays related to third-party telecommunications equipment removal, COVID-19 restrictions, and material supply-chain shortages that created year-long lead times. To keep progress on schedule, AACON strategically resequenced work activities in unaffected areas and maintained transparent communication with VA stakeholders. The Government later issued an approved time extension to account for these uncontrollable delays.
Despite the challenging conditions, AACON completed the project successfully, building strong rapport with the VA’s on-site leadership. Thomas McEwen, Construction Supervisor at the Robley Rex VAMC, praised AACON’s responsiveness and adaptability, noting:
“Roofing projects are hard, with staging, coordination of lifts, and weather delays. Once we brought to their attention that part of the roof construction occurred directly over the Operating Room, they quickly pivoted and rescheduled activities during our downtime so it didn’t affect the customer. AACON addressed unforeseen circumstances and resolved them quickly. We would definitely work with AACON again.”
This project exemplifies AACON’s ability to deliver technically complex roofing and infrastructure upgrades in active healthcare environments, balancing performance, safety, and stakeholder collaboration to achieve outstanding results.
