[MassHistPres] Large School Windows

[Wendy Nicholas]

Scott, the Newport school example is exactly what came to my mind.  Ralph, it is a superb poster child for case you want to make.  Those enormous windows slide up and down very easily.

You might direct the Springfield folks to www.SavetheWindows.org<http://www.SavetheWindows.org>.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation has compiled in that one place a lot of great information about why to and how to retrofit older and historic windows, rather than replacing them.  And, we've started a list/map of contractors who're skilled at window repair.

Wendy Nicholas  | Director, Northeast Office
National Trust for Historic Preservation | 7 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 4th Floor. Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-523-0885 | Fax: 617-523-1199 | Email: wendy_nicholas at nthp.org<mailto:wendy_nicholas at nthp.org>.  www.PreservationNation.org<http://www.preservationnation.org/>


From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Scott A. Winkler, AIA
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 12:34 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Large School Windows

Hi Ralph -

I have done a number of mill renovation projects which utilized very large replacement widows.
I also worked on a historic school in Newport, RI which had large original wood windows and contained elderly housing.
All of these projects followed the Secretary of the Interiors Standards.

On the Newport project, the same argument was used with the original windows - they were two heavy for the elderly to
open and had to be replaced.  The SHPO and NPS held firm on restoration, and we were able to restore these windows,
make them fully operational, weatherstrip them, and install new exterior storm windows for less than the budget for replacement windows.
Once these old windows are restored, the weights, chain, and pulleys; along with bronze weatherstripping on the wood jamb, make these
8 foot tall double hung windows pretty easy to open, even for the elderly residents.  By the way, a restored wood window with a good
storm window has similar energy performance to a new insulated window, are easily repairable, and will easily outlast new replacement windows.

On the mill projects, the windows had typically be replaced previously.  Companies like Marvin and Pella can make large wood
replacement windows with insulated glass (with or without aluminum cladding) to replicate original frames, brick-molding, sash, and mullion pattern.
They are counter-weighted to make them easy to open.  There are also several companies that make all aluminum windows which
also can match original windows and again are counter-weighted for easy operation.

It is foolish for someone to assume that a company would make and sell a large window that could not be opened by a typical person - this just is not true.
Stories of difficulty in opening large windows usually come from poorly maintained original sash with missing/ broken ropes or chains, or from cheap
vinyl replacement windows, which do not hold up over time.

Good luck in your efforts.

Scott Winkler, AIA


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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2011 22:33:18 -0500
From: Ralph Slate <slater at alum.rpi.edu<mailto:slater at alum.rpi.edu>>
Subject: [MassHistPres] Large school windows
To: MassHistPres MA <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu<mailto:masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>>
Message-ID: <4D4B737E.40903 at alum.rpi.edu<mailto:4D4B737E.40903 at alum.rpi.edu>>
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As part of an energy efficiency program, the city of Springfield is
contracting for the replacement of windows in several of its older
(1900-1930) schools. Some of the windows had already been replaced over
the years, others are original to the building. The city is proposing to
replace what used to be large (not sure the height, but probably 7' or
8' opening), double-hung windows with a three-panel approach, the top
1/3 being fixed, with a smaller double-hung window installed below it.
It would be a significant visual departure from the original design
because it would appear as three separate panels rather than two.

Their argument was that 8' double hung replacement windows would be too
hard for teachers to open. I asked if they had specific complaints in
the city about this, and the architect admitted that they did not, nor
did they do any research about it, but they had feedback from other
communities so this is what they proposed.

Does anyone have any comment on this? Any alternative approaches? Any
corroboration of the "too hard to open" claim?

Thanks,

Ralph Slate
Springfield, MA


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--
Scott A. Winkler, AIA, LEED AP
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