Hollywood Palladium

The Hollywood Palladium on Los Angeles’ Sunset Boulevard has hosted many celebrated entertainers since it opened almost 70 years ago with performances by Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. It was the venue where Betty Grable sang to GIs during her wartime radio show in the 1940s, the site of The Lawrence Welk Show during the 1960s, and also where numerous Emmy and Grammy award shows were held in the 1960s and ’70s.

Although the Palladium was once known for its wonderful dance floor and glittery affairs, its luster wore off over time, and the building suffered from many problems, including a leaking built-up roof. In fact, Jaime Garcia, senior project engineer at general contractors Morley Builders of Santa Monica, CA, recalls attending a meeting there in 2007 and discovering that it was pouring rain inside the building!

Since the roof is such a visible part of the exterior, roof consultant Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) of Los Angeles had to take great care to make sure that the new roof not only met the owner’s performance and energy requirements, but also the owner’s aesthetic and historical design needs.“They wanted to submit the building for national landmark status, so we had to be careful to preserve the significance of the entertainment venue,” said Dean Larsen, project manager for SGH. “For instance, we had to virtually eliminate any sheet metal flashing visible from the street level around the perimeter of the building,” Larsen explained. “To accomplish this we designed innovative flashing details to overcome several challenges, some of which included roofing in-place structural supports and integrating original large metal dormers into the roof membrane.”

After looking at different PVC and EPDM roofing systems, the design team decided to use the Sika Sarnafil roofing systems. “Sika Sarnafil really stood out from the others,” said Russell. “It had the best reputation, we were familiar with other Sika Sarnafil applications over barrel roofs, and the input from others on the design team, including the roof consultant, general contractor, and construction manager, was very positive.”

Larsen added, “We liked the Sika Sarnafil systems because we could use two different specifications – a mechanically attached system in areas like the barrel roof, and an adhered roof in other areas. It is also easy to install and has a well-established track record of long-term performance.”

Another important factor was the availability of the Sika Sarnafil membrane in a tan color. “We worked with a color consultant to make sure the roof complemented the walls of the building,” Larsen explained. “Not only did the Sika Sarnafil tan look good, but it also met the California Energy Code requirements for a ‘cool’ roof.”

Szymon Zienkiewicz, junior lead of SGH, said the Sika Sarnafil representatives and Sika Sarnafil’s roofing accessory products also played important roles. “They were helpful and responsive in working with us throughout the project,” he said, “and their range of roofing accessories simplified several complicated detailing conditions.”

Olson added that SGH did a very good job attending to the challenges of this project. “SGH is one of the best consultants out there, and they focus on details more than other consultants.”Garcia agreed that SGH was very professional and knowledgeable. “We worked very closely with SGH and it was a great experience,” he said. “I would love to work with them again.”It was this professionalism and attention to detail that earned Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Third Place in Sika Sarnafil’s 2009 Roofing Consultant Project of the Year.

Today the Hollywood Palladium is enjoying a rebirth as an entertainment venue, featuring such acts as the Jonas Brothers and Alice in Chains, and there are plans to have it host several TV events. In the meantime, people are singing its praises for a renovation well done. It was named a 2009 Preservation Design Award winner by the California Preservation Foundation, and was also named a 2009 Preservation Award winner by the Los Angeles Conservancy.

“This was a notable project because it showcased the flexibility of the Sarnafil membrane and the use of a non-white membrane as a cool roof,” Larsen said. “In addition, the tan-colored membrane complemented the building and became part of the building design." 

Russell stated that he receives a lot of compliments on “how good the roof looks.” He added, “The roof is doing well and we were glad we went with Sika Sarnafil. It was the right decision.”

Now that this historic venue has been restored to its former splendor, it sounds like all the parties involved should take a much deserved bow.