91视频

As buildings age, so do their windows. Owners of historic buildings sometimes face a difficult decision: should they repair those windows, or replace them?

Here, such decisions must account for the Historic Landmarks Commission, which 鈥減rovides leadership and expertise on maintaining and enhancing Portland’s historic and architectural heritage,鈥� according to its website. The commission’s approval is not required for window restoration on historic buildings; however, replacement projects are another matter.

Brian Emerick, chairman of the Historic Landmarks Commission, said that it has very specific requirements for window replacements.

鈥淲hat we’ve done in the past with the (Historic) Landmarks Commission is say that there has to be a good reason that you need to replace them 鈥� not just energy code upgrades,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ssentially, you have to do your homework and show that they’re not reparable. That’s pretty standard in the historical world.鈥�

The commission also must approve materials used for replacements.

鈥淚f the replacement is allowed, then we’re pretty darn specific about matching profiles,鈥� Emerick said. 鈥淚f it was a wood, double-hung coming out, then it would need to be a wood, double hung going back in. Basically, it needs to not be distinguishable to most people. It’s going to look the same.鈥�

One historic building with windows targeted for replacement is the 103-year-old Hotel deLuxe (formerly the Hotel Mallory), at 729 S.W. 15th Ave. Phil Sydnor of Integrate Architecture & Planning earlier this month applied for a pre-application conference regarding plans to replace all of the building’s windows on the second through eighth floors.

Sydnor couldn’t comment on why the building’s owner, Provenance Hotels, chose to pursue window replacements rather than restorations, but he did say that Integrate Architecture & Planning is going about the process very carefully. The firm is considering three main factors: a balance of the building’s original aesthetics, the windows’ functionality and their cost.

鈥淲e’re really into research and choosing the right component for the building,鈥� Sydnor said. 鈥淚t’s one of these ones where there’s probably going to be a lot of interest of somebody proposing a particular window for this project. We’re trying to find the most objective way to go about it. 鈥� At this time, we’re trying to do this in-house study and define what the parameters are that we’re looking for and sort of figure it out on our own.

鈥淲e have to go through the original drawings from the building and see what was there from a detail standpoint. And then look at what is in place currently, how was it put there, how can we take it out. And then there’s extensive research as far as satisfying the city’s process for the review. Then there’s time researching what product you’re going to use for the new windows.鈥�

Meanwhile, some people in the industry believe restorations of historic buildings’ windows are far better than replacements. Vern Forrest, president of Chosen Wood Window Maintenance, is one of those advocates. His firm has repaired windows in structures including the Benson Hotel and the 511 Federal Building.

鈥淵ou shouldn’t be replacing them,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese old windows are very good windows. They’ve lasted a lot of years and nothing today is going to last that long. Restoration is always the best thing to do for them and keep the old windows.鈥�

But Emerick acknowledged that sometimes windows simply cannot be replaced. His company, Emerick Architects, recently decided to replace windows in two historic buildings: the Sovereign Hotel and the Overland Warehouse. For the Sovereign Hotel, only windows on the interior fa莽ade were replaced; the others were preserved.

鈥淭he windows at the Overland Warehouse had to be replaced because they were completely trashed,鈥� Emerick said. 鈥淗alf the windows were missing.鈥�