# Clara Apartments Membrane Roof Project

> Donovan Roofing & Construction restored the brick walk-up apartments on Clara after tornado damage with a 60-mil TPO membrane roof and added insulation.

Canonical: https://donovanrc.com/projects/clara-apartments/

![White membrane roof over the corner of a historic brick apartment building](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-brick-membrane.webp)

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St. Louis City · 2025

# The brick apartments on Clara, under a new membrane roof.

A full tear-off of four stacked roof layers and a new 60-mil TPO Invisaweld system across a historic three-story brick walk-up in the heart of St. Louis City, after the 2025 tornado cut through the Forest Park corridor.

St. Louis City · 2025 · 60-mil TPO Invisaweld

The apartments on Clara are the kind of building this city is known for: a brick walk-up with its ornament still intact and a flat roof doing quiet work above it. The 2025 tornado that cut through the Forest Park corridor did not spare this building. The roof took the hit, four layers of old systems stacked over decades, leaks that had softened the plank decking, and skylights long past their life.

We tore the entire roof down to the deck, removing all four layers. Any rotted planks from old leaks were replaced, and the structure was tightened before insulation went down. The building received new R-30 insulation board across the entire field, followed by a 60-mil TPO Invisaweld system welded clean from edge to edge. Every skylight was replaced with new units equipped with remote-activated sun shades, a major upgrade for the residents on the top floor. The parapet walls received all new coping metal, and the garage roof on the rear of the property was re-shingled to match the rest of the complex. This was a three-story brick building in the heart of St. Louis City, and access, staging, and resident coordination mattered. We managed the project from the first meeting with the insurance adjuster, through the full claim approval, and all the way to final inspection. The building stayed dry every night, and the finished roofline is clean, bright, and built to last.

On film

The brick apartments on Clara

![New white membrane across the wings of a historic brick apartment building](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-courtyard-membrane.webp)

How the work moved

## The work, in five acts.

Act 01

### Walk the roof.

Four layers, active leaks, softened plank decking, failing skylights, and tornado damage across the field.

Act 02

### Strip it clean.

Full tear-off down to the deck. Rotted planks replaced. Building dried in behind the crew every night.

Act 03

### Build the system.

R-30 insulation board installed across the field. 60-mil TPO Invisaweld welded clean from edge to edge.

Act 04

### Upgrade the building.

New skylights with remote-activated sun shades. New coping metal on all parapet walls. Garage roof re-shingled.

Act 05

### Final walk.

Full inspection with the adjuster. Clean welds, tight coping, and a roof system approved and paid by insurance.

![New white membrane across the wings of a historic brick apartment building](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-courtyard-membrane.webp)

![Front aerial of the brick entry towers with the new membrane behind](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-front-symmetric.webp)

![Membrane wrapped clean at the parapet corner of the brick apartment building](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-parapet-corner.webp)

![On the roof: membrane field, skylights, and flashed penetrations](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-roof-skylight-detail.webp)

![Three-quarter aerial of the apartment building and its finished white roof](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-street-aerial.webp)

![The broad membrane field with rooftop units flashed and sealed](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-membrane-field.webp)

![The apartment building's new membrane roof with the St. Louis skyline beyond](/wp-content/uploads/donovan/photos/tpo/clara-skyline-aerial.webp)

From the foreman

> "The tornado caused the damage. We handled the repairs, layer by layer until the roof was right again."

Donovan crew, Clara Apartments

Bring us in

### Your roof has its own story to tell.

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What homeowners are saying

- > “Justin did a great job of communicating and was on the job site a lot.”

Gerald K. · Google
- > “Nick Mirth did an excellent job throughout the process our insurance claim!”

Tim C. · Google
- > “Great experience, very knowledgeable and customer friendly. I would highly Recommend.”

Kathy O. · Google

[See all reviews](/reviews)