A Safer, More Modern Roof for Boston’s Copley Place
Copley Place opened in 1984 and has been a high-end shopping destination in the heart of Boston for four decades. Home to many luxury retailers, the mall attracts heavy foot traffic. Its location in a busy part of the city makes construction projects especially challenging.
The Original Roof
Our team was brought in to replace the aging ballasted roof installed during the mall’s original construction. Water infiltration and a deteriorating substrate were creating challenges for the facilities team and the mall’s owner, Simon. In addition to the old ballast, we had to remove several rooftop structures, including a concrete window-washing pad.
Our team used demolition saws and skid-steer loaders to break up and move the material, but everything, from ballast to concrete, had to be lifted off the roof by crane. Raised obstructions and rigging for the window-washing equipment also required crane removal. This work left a clear, open surface for the new roofing system.
A Monumental Undertaking
The new roof features a massive paver deck. Our team installed 47,000 pavers, each weighing 110 pounds. Each paver was lifted onto the roof by crane and then placed by our installation crew.
We installed the pavers over a new GAF PVC fleece-backed membrane. The same membrane was used to flash all penetrations and perimeter walls. The assembly also included a drainage mat, two 3-inch layers of extruded insulation, and filter fabric. After installation, the team marked hazard areas to improve safety for facilities staff working on the roof.
The site’s location in central Boston, adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike, posed additional challenges. To access the roof, cranes had to be positioned on the adjacent off-ramp. Crane operations were restricted to 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., requiring careful scheduling to keep the project on track. The busy streets below also required extra precautions to prevent debris from blowing off the roof.
Despite these challenges, the team completed the project safely, with impressive results.
The Results
The completed roof stands out for its scale, appearance, performance, and safety. At 900,000 square feet, it is an immense installation. The paver deck looks immaculate and proved its worth during its first winter.
The winter of 2026 brought harsh conditions shortly after installation was completed. Assistant Director of Operations Cory Wicker shared, “Perhaps most impressive was the roof’s performance during one of the most severe winter storm seasons in recent years. The system demonstrated exceptional durability and drainage capabilities, validating both the design and installation quality.”
Earning a client’s satisfaction means a great deal to our team, especially on a project as large as Copley Place. We are proud of the work and look forward to the roof providing an attractive, safer workspace for the Copley facilities team for years to come.
