[MassHistPres] FW: Window actions and resources

[Marcia Starkey]

Hi Susan, Our experience is also that the question of glazing materials is 
used as a reason for removal rather than repair..most recently in the 
NR-IND. Colonial Revival Greenfield U.S. Post Office (owned by the USPS). In 
this case they propose to replace with exterior clad wooden windows 
suggesting that reducing the cost of maintenance may be the driver., altho 
the cost recovery time for these large 12/12 sash in good condition and 
covered with storms seems  lengthy at best. If the glazing is that bad, 
where do the removed windows go? Are they hazardous waste?
Education of receptive building inspectors may be one of the major reasons 
to produce an authoritative and detailed brief.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SCeccacci at aol.com>
To: <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 9:21 AM
Subject: [MassHistPres] FW: Window actions and resources


>I agree that there needs to be an all out effort to make people aware  of
> alternatives to window replacement in historic buildings. If it were done 
> at  the
> statewide and national levels, it wouldn't seem to be the  reactions of 
> just
> a few "nuts" who are against progress.  Publicity  surrounding the
> "endangered" nominations of windows could be very  valuable.
>
> As part of the effort to preserve historic windows, documentation  should 
> be
> gathered to determine the actual threat of asbestos glazing  putty. 
> Asbestos
> glazing putty is becoming a common excuse for wholesale  removal of 
> historic
> windows.  In the past few months I have seen windows  replaced in two 
> Worcester
> buildings (not homes, but adaptively  reused former municipal and 
> industrial
> buildings) because of asbestos  glazing putty.  In one of these cases, I 
> am
> aware that salvage of the sash  that were still in good condition was not
> allowed because of the asbestos  glazing.  We need to understand what 
> percentage of
> asbestos in glazing  putty is truly dangerous and also to understand what 
> is
> the process and cost of  removing it from historically significant 
> windows.
>
> Susan McDaniel Ceccacci
> Historic Preservation Consultant
> Jefferson, Massachusetts
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