Glass Replacement | Ameristar Casino Resort Spa – Black Hawk, CO

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To begin with. the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk consists of 34 stories and stands at a height of 444 feet. The roof sits at an elevation of nearly 9,000 feet above sea level. It is recognized as the highest-elevation high-rise tower constructed in the continental United States and is the tallest building between Denver and Salt Lake City.

The height of the building required several safety measures, nothing that unusual for our commercial skylight repair crews. We had to install barricades on the roof to keep anything that was dropped from falling 31 stories to the ground and the road.

What was a challenge was moving and setting insulated glass units (IGU) that weighed up to 470 pounds. No crane could reach the roof. (Originally set with a construction crane.)

Tall 34-story brown hotel building, home to the Ameristar Casino, stands surrounded by trees and mountains, next to a winding road under a cloudy sky.
The skylight is way up there!
A man works on a large roof with a metal skylight at the Ameristar Casino.
A steep metal roof to reach the skylight.
Indoor pool at Ameristar Casino, featuring a large skylight that lets in natural light.
The pool area was closed for remodeling.
A large skylight ceiling reveals a cloudy sky outside and two dramatically failed insulated glass units.
Two IGU’s have totally failed.

The skylight sits above a pool and spa area of the resort. It was closed for renovation. With the exclusion of the public, safety issues beneath the skylight were greatly simpified.

Another advantage, with the pool closed, we were able to use the space for staging all the glass, tool boxes and other equipment.

On the other hand, a deadline was set with the reopening of the area. A very tight schedule with the job starting in October.

Safety was relatively straightforward. The scale of the skylight and the slope of the roof (12/12) were perhaps the biggest challenges. The erection of the catch fence along one side of the roof was no easy task.

Horizontal cables were set up for the crew to attach themselves to. A catwalk was set up around the skylight’s perimeter.

DBI SALA lifeline tensioner that’s part of a horizontal temporary fall protection system
A fall protection system is mandatory!
A ladder mounted on the metal roof leads to a wooden catwalk surrounding the skylight at the top.
Ladder access to catwalk.
A catch fence is installed along the roof edge.
Catch fence.
The catwalk undder the skylight and the ladder leading to it, all covered with snnow and ice.
Unsafe conditions! The safety cable is visible.

We were able to load the glass onto A-frames and roll them onto the freight elevator (some pieces 10’ long). The IGU’s were stored on the pool level until needed.

An IGU would be removed from the skylight and loaded onto the ladder lift and sent down to the pool level. Then a new IGU would be sent up the ladder lift to be set into the skylight.

Stacks of glass units are secured with straps and wooden frames in a parking lot. A large blue trash container and a red van are nearby. Autumn trees line the background.
A portion of the new glass.
Large glass unit with suction cups attached is propped on a ladder lift outside a modern building. A vacuum cleaner and tools rest on the sunlit stone patio.
Glass units were loaded onto a ladder lift.
Two ladders lean against a building. A large glass panel is being lifted by a mechanical lift. Nearby are trees and construction materials. The scene conveys a sense of construction activity.
On its way to the top.
Two workers on a skylight use a long metal ladder lift under a bright blue sky. The ladder leans against wooden planks, showing a sense of teamwork and safety.
Removing the glass unit from the lift.
Outdoor workspace with two people working on wooden stair risers on sawhorses. A forklift and wood pieces are nearby. The scene conveys industrious activity.
Stair stringers were created at our shop.
A worker in safety gear works on wooden stair risers on a large glass skylight, set against a backdrop of a cloudy sky and forested hills.
Stringers spanned both sides.
Two construction workers in safety gear are attaching wooden stairs above a glass skylight, using tools under a cloudy sky. The scene conveys focus and teamwork.
Steps spanning two stringers completed on site.
View through a glass skylight shows a clear blue sky and a wooden outdoor staircase. Wooden beams frame the scene, creating a modern, airy atmosphere.
Steps on both sides of the glass units.
Workers are installing glass units on a large skylight, set against a backdrop of mountains and a blue, partly cloudy sky. The tone is industrious.
Pausing with the IGU at the top of the steps.

Our crews have a great deal of experience with setting IGUs. However, we had never had to set such heavy glass on such a steep metal roof, without crane support..

Will roof jacks hold the weight? Will the glass hold the weight as we walk across it? Will we be able to lift that heavy of glass on such a steep roof?

The stairs we constructed spread the weight (4-6 guys @ 200lbs each plus 450 lbs of glass ) across the existing glass that we had to traverse to get the new glass set.

We actually practiced moving a 4’x10’x ¼” piece of steel at our shop before getting on the roof.

Workers in safety gear install glass units on a steep rooftop skylight with mountain views. The scene conveys teamwork, precision, and a sense of height.
Workers wearing safety gear are installing a large glass unit on a skylight. The glass reflects blue skies and clouds, conveying a sense of openness.

After the glass replacement was completed and cleaned, we setup scaffolding on the pool deck and cleaned all the glass from the inside. Probably not the easiest system. However, cleaning delays coupled with bad weather could have pushed the job beyond the deadline.

The old glass was loaded on A-frames and sent down 30+ floors using a freight elevator. Then dopping it into dumpsters to end up in a landfill.

Sweeping the parking lot completed the project

Workers in safety gear clean a large glass extended yramid skylight, reflecting a scenic mountain backdrop. The mood is diligent and serene.
Cleaning the glass.
A worker in an orange vest stands on scaffolding, cleaning a large, extended pyramid glass skylight. Sunlight creates dramatic shadows on wooden walls.
Cleaning the glass.
Racks of the original glass units in the casinao parking lot awaiting proper disposal.
A fraction of glass to be disposed
A pile of shattered glass lies on a rough concrete surface with a faded yellow line nearby, conveying a sense of disorder and neglect.
Parking lot was swept.
A large beige building with tall windows and a sloped, brown, metal roof topped by a glass skylight atrium. The sky is partly cloudy, creating a serene atmosphere.
The atrium skylight.
A building's extewnded-pyramid shaped glass skylight on a metal roof with a scenic mountain and forest backdrop under a blue, partly cloudy sky.
The extended-pyramid skylight.
Wooden ceiling with large triangular beams and a large atrium skylight. Sunlight streams through, creating a warm, airy, and spacious atmosphere.
Awesome daylight for the pool area.

Do you have a complex commercial skylight project that requires expert logistical planning?

Contact Commercial Skylight Repair today.
1-866-759-7732 Request a Quote
A clear sky view and the eight murals mounted in the skylight shaft.

Product used:

The skylight

  • Roof/skylight slope = 12/12
  • Skylight Approx. 11′ 2″ on slope x 90′.

The Glass

  • 56 panes of Cardinal LoĒ²-272 glass.
  • Total glass sq ft = 1,928 sq. ft.
  • Total glass weight = 19,584 LBS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DOWSIL™ 795 Silicone Building Sealant

A one-component, neutral-curing, medium modulus silicone sealant intended for weatherseal and structural applications with excellent adhesion to a wide range of materials, including glass, metal and aluminum.

Dowsil 795 Data

Dowisil 795 Silicone Building Sealant pdf

Cardinal LoĒ²® Data

over page of Cardinal LoE2 272 sell brochure.

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