“You got that one!?” was my response after being told by Shannon Kasallis, owner of Integrity Contents, about a pack out at the Central Library in Phoenix. When it comes to high profile jobs, the massive five story structure that houses hundreds of thousands of books was a pretty big catch. Shannon’s crew had done large scale jobs before, but large jobs like these are never easy. So, what is required when undertaking a job this size?
Monsoon season in Phoenix can be devastating. The dry, arid climate breaks into sporadic bouts of dust storms and torrential rains. The flat, dry Valley of the Sun does not take in the rain very well. With nowhere to go, the water floods the streets, highways, and homes. Trees collapse and the flat mid-century modern roofs that make the “older” neighborhoods charming get tested. The roof at Burton Barr Library on Central Avenue in Phoenix was tested on July 15, 2017. The rain came in sideways by winds so strong that the roof of the 280,000 square foot library lifted ever so slightly as to set off the sprinkler system inside, cascading water down the interior of the five story building.