Simonton Windows Installed in 30th Anniversary This Old House® Project
ENERGY STAR® Qualified Units Provide Thermal Efficiency to Historic Rehab
PARKERSBURG, W. VA. – The team at This Old House® recently selected energy-efficient, low maintenance Simonton windows for the restoration of a foreclosed and vacant 1870s-era Second Empire home in Roxbury, Massachusetts, an urban neighborhood of Boston. Topping the list of products used to enhance the high-profile 30th anniversary season project were Simonton ProFinish® windows that meet ENERGY STAR qualifications and have easy-care vinyl frames.
Anthony Tieuli - Photographer
“This is the first time I’ve used Simonton windows in a project and I’d like to use them again,” says David Lopes, owner of Wellington Design & Construction, who served as the general contractor on the This Old House Roxbury project. “You can tell these are quality units. Once they were installed you couldn’t hear street traffic. The sound control features are impressive, as was the installation ease for each of the double hung units.”
To complement the existing style of the homes in the area, the windows were ordered with Colonial sculptured grids. Each window featured a Low E soft coat glass package with an Argon gas fill and dual glazing. “The window configuration complements the 1870s-era Second Empire style of this home,” says Lopes. “These windows bring energy-efficient advancements to the project combined with a classic look.”
City and Community Involvement
For the Roxbury project, This Old House partnered with the City of Boston and local non-profit Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation to fully renovate the foreclosed and vacant property on Woodbine Street, which was divided into two separate units of affordable housing.
“The home is located in one of Boston’s neighborhoods that has been disproportionately affected by foreclosures, says Lucy Warsh, director of media and public relations for the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development. “Two years ago we designated it one of our Foreclosure Intervention Team areas in recognition of the need for a comprehensive investment by the city and its neighborhood-based partners. The 42-44 Woodbine rehab is symbolic of the slow but steady stabilization that the area is now experiencing. We are working with homeowners in the area on home repair projects and a number of foreclosed properties nearby are in process of being acquired by private buyers or non-profits.
“Mayor Menino recently had the chance to see the finished rehab of the home on Woodbine Street and he was amazed at the transformation that was made possible by all those involved. We believe the Roxbury project was a great choice for This Old House to feature during their 30th anniversary season.”
Boston’s Mayor Menino isn’t the only one impressed with the Woodbine Street project. Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, which is devoted to building the wealth and enhancing the physical, economic and social well-being of Roxbury and other underserved populations in greater Boston, also applauds the project and the windows used.
“The Simonton windows helped us meet our energy efficiency goals and ENERGY STAR performance levels for this project,” says Gavin McLear, real estate project manager for Nuestra CDC, which operates a community driven development process that promotes self-sufficiency and neighborhood revitalization. “The windows look great on the house and have helped preserve its historic character, which was extremely important for the neighborhood. We would consider using Simonton windows again on other projects in the future, including historic rehabs.”
The This Old House Roxbury project is currently airing nationally on PBS (check www.thisoldhouse.com/tvschedule or your local listings). For more information on the project, visit www.thisoldhouse.com.
Simonton Windows produces ENERGY STAR qualified replacement and new construction windows and doors, including a line of impact-resistant products. Simonton ranked “Highest in Builder and Remodeler Satisfaction among Residential Window and Patio Door Manufacturers” in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009, 2008 and 2006 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction StudiesSM.
Simonton was also ranked #1 in quality in the 2009, 2007, 2002 and 1998 Brand Use Studies sponsored by Builder magazine and has won three Best In Class Awards from Market Research Associates.
Founded in 1946, Simonton’s hallmark has been to deliver its made-to-order products in five days or less. Part of the home and security business of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), Simonton delivers award-winning products nationwide to key markets throughout the 48 continental United States.
For information, call (800) SIMONTON (1-800-746-6686) or visit www.simonton.com.
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Simonton Windows received the highest numerical score in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008-2009 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction Studies.SM 2009 study based on responses from 3,109 builders and remodelers measuring 16 manufacturers. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of builders and remodelers surveyed in April-May 2009. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com
ENERGY STAR is a government program that helps consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency and is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.