Renovation meets both historic and aesthetic needs
Opened for the 2015-16 academic year, the University of Washington-Tacoma (UW Tacoma) completed its renovation of the 120-year-old McDonald-Smith Building located in the Union Station Historic District. The renovation team was challenged to meet historic aesthetic and modern performance needs, while staying on schedule and on budget.
The Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission oversees many of UW Tacoma’s 21 buildings, which are converted landmark structures, ensuring renovations meet with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings.
As part of an $11 million renovation project, the university modified the 1892, four-story McDonald Smith building for additional office and meeting spaces. Planning and design for the project started in 2014 led by Bassetti Architects, Seattle, as guided by the campus’ master plan. The project’s design-build reconstruction team also included M.A. Mortenson, Kirkland, Wash.
Bassetti’s associate principal, Jordan Kiel, AIA, LEED AP, explains, “The single-pane wood windows were original to the building and were in poor shape, especially on the west side of the building. As the building owner, UW Tacoma, wanted something with more modern performance that met the historic requirements, but wasn’t an operable window. The Landmarks Commission was particularly concerned that the profiles of the new window frames matched the historic windows as closely as possible.”
The Landmarks Preservation Commission uses the Union Station Design Guidelines to evaluate the appropriateness of proposed alterations. To meet the guidelines and address the Commission’s concerns, several options were researched. Wausau, Wis.-based Wausau Window and Wall Systems, together with glazing contractor Mission Glass, Tumwater, Wash., offered a solution in its 4250i-XLT INvent Retro Series simulated double-hung, arched top, fixed windows with aluminum frames, thermal barriers and high-performance glass.
Bassetti, Mortenson and UW Tacoma’s Milt Tremblay, director of physical planning and sustainability, and Jeannie Natta, project manager of major capital projects presented their recommendations to the Commission. Natta elaborates, “This was the first project using extruded aluminum framed windows had been approved by the Commission. In past campus renovations of similar heritage buildings, UW Tacoma used an aluminum-clad wood window.”
She continues, “In this case, given the unique arch of the McDonald-Smith windows and that 17 different custom-arched window openings exist on the building, the team was challenged to find the best product to use.”
Kiel continues, “Wausau’s simulated double-hung fixed windows were able to meet all of these needs and match the arched openings. They have offset glass planes to give the appearance of historic double-hungs. You wouldn’t know it without studying the building, but each of those arched tops is slightly different, including some very complex curved radius designs. Wausau rose to the occasion.”
Jeff Nickel, president of Mission Glass, adds, “I am highly impressed with Wausau’s historical windows. Wausau’s ability to take a dwg file of the shop drawings and fabricate from those was incredibly valuable considering the custom radiuses on the project.”
Wausau’s product pricing specialist, Kyle Wilkowski quickly returns the compliment, “If it wasn’t for the help of Mission Glass and Mortenson Construction, we would have not had this great opportunity to display a beautiful product that can present a pleasing historical look inside and outside of the building. The cove profile and black color finish also played a factor in creating the historical look.”
To fabricate the windows’ arched tops, Linetec handled the stretch forming to curve the 4 7/8-inch-deep aluminum frames. It painted the frames and trim in a Black Panther color.
“The high-performance glass-and-aluminum frames with thermal barriers improve tremendously on the former windows’ performance,” reiterates Wilkowski. They also offer acoustic performance, further improving the students’ interior comfort and concentration.
Meeting both performance and aesthetics, the UW Tacoma’s Division of Finance & Administration’s Campus Planning & Real Estate unit notes, “The renovation of the McDonald-Smith Building [feels] like a natural extension of the University of Washington Tacoma campus; honoring the heritage of the Union Depot historic district by breathing new life into an aging building.”
McDonald-Smith Hall, University of Washington-Tacoma, Tacoma, Wash.
Owner: University of Washington-Tacoma, Tacoma
Campus master plan: Mithun Inc., Seattle
Project master plan and architect: Bassetti Architects, Seattle
General contractor: M.A. Mortenson, Kirkland, Wash.
Glazing contractor: Mission Glass, Tumwater, Wash.
Glazing systems-manufacturer: Wausau Window and Wall Systems, Wausau, Wis., www.wausauwindow.com
Glass manufacturer: Guardian Industries Inc., Auburn Hills, Mich., www.guardianglass.com
Glazing systems-finisher: Linetec, Wausau, www.linetec.com
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Brad Glauser serves as architectural sales representative for Wausau, Wis.-based Wausau Window and Wall Systems in the Northwest. To reach him and for more other information, please email info@wausauwindow.com or call (877) 678-2983.