90-year-old gets new roof — This crew from Tecta America Southeast recently completed installing a new polyester-membrane roof on the 1923 Conrad Realty Co. building at 110-116 W. New York Ave. in DeLand. The workers are, from left, foreman Douglas Parker of Casselberry, Jorge Deleon of Deltona, Pablo Mendez of Orlando, John Guinan and Phillip Erwin, both of Deltona, and Chris Sheets of Orlando. BEACON PHOTO/BARB SHEPHERD
Next step: installation of 187 solar panels
The first major milestone has been reached in the installation of what could be Volusia County’s largest privately owned solar array.
A crew from Tecta America Southeast of Sanford recently finished putting a new roof on the Conrad Realty building at 112 W. New York Ave. in DeLand.
The next step is the installation of a 50-kilowatt solar array on the 9,000-square-foot roof by Ocala-based Solar Trek, in partnership with Solar-Fit of Holly Hill. The companies are waiting for a building permit from the City of DeLand, which was delayed while city and company officials devised a plan for the safety of workers doing any future repair or maintenance work.
Once that permit is in hand, workers can begin putting 187 solar modules, each with its own micro-inverter, in place — a process that is expected to take about three weeks, company officials say.
The system will provide about half the electricity used by the 19 businesses and one residence that occupy the building that houses The Beacon.
- Joe Crews