Double‑Hung Windows for Landmark Projects

A sun-drenched view from the Grand Canal captures the historic 13th-century Venetian-Byzantine facade of Ca' da Mosto, now home to The Venice Venice Hotel, featuring an elegant upper-level loggia with slender columns and six stilted arches, a terrace with white umbrellas and minimalist seating on the ground floor, and weathered brick walls adorned with faded decorative patere and marble coats of arms.

Double-hung windows are a defining feature of historic townhouses and brownstones in New York City. They offer traditional proportions, flexible ventilation, and a classic aesthetic. This design aligns with historic preservation guidelines. Replacing windows in a Landmark building requires careful attention to detail. In particular, the design, materials, and documentation must comply with the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).

Using appropriate systems, such as cladded wood Double Hung windows, balances an authentic appearance with modern durability, energy efficiency, and clear, slimnes. Early consultation and accurate drawings can help streamline the approval process and avoid costly revisions.

A classic double-hung window frames a view of an industrial urban landscape, featuring a weathered red brick building with rusted metal shutters, a solitary wooden water tower perched on a rooftop, and a clear blue sky, all captured from an interior perspective with clean, minimalist white walls.

A tall, white-framed double-hung window, flanked by floor-to-ceiling pleated grey curtains, reveals a view of a weathered red-brick industrial building featuring narrow windows and rusted metal shutters, juxtaposing a clean, modern interior—complete with a vibrant green monstera leaf in a glass vase—against the textured, urban grit of the city outside.

OpenAWD has extensive experience designing, producing, and installing custom double-hung windows that meet both performance requirements and landmark-related requirements. Some of our many solutions include wood interiors with protective exterior cladding, a range of landmark-appropriate sashes historically accurate muntins, and a variety of suitable hardware finishes. These choices ensure compliance with LPC standards while maintaining the distinct character of these types of buildings.

A prime example is our recent Hudson Square Development project. For this site, OpenAWD provided custom clad wood windows for a 19th-century industrial building. The project transformed the structure into a mixed-use space. By carefully matching the building’s historic dimensions, the team preserved its landmark character. At the same time, accurate documentation and proper installation ensured modern performance.

Three identical, cladded wood simulated double-hung windows with simulated devided lights are set into a weathered red brick facade, featuring decorative masonry headers above each arch and a structured, multi-layered brick pattern along the base of the wall, all reflecting a clear, pale sky in their glass panes.

Centrally focused entrance of a historic red-brick building adorned with horizontally laid stone banding, featuring a large modern glass doorway flanked by tall bronze-toned metal frames beneath a prominent overhanging concrete canopy, topped by a window box planter with dry ornamental grasses and shrubs, while a tall industrial-style window above is divided by vertical iron mullions and framed in dark metal with decorative roundels, all illuminated by warm interior lighting and dappled sunlight casting golden reflections across the façade, with two parked cars grounding the scene in a contemporary urban context.

This image shows the full height of an elaborately detailed, two-story facade of a historic building with vertically stacked metal-framed windows with divided lights in the upper story, the structural bronze elements showcase classical ornamentation, such as stylized urn shapes and intricate rosettes.

In addition to windows, we also design and manufacture custom entry doors that fully comply with NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission requirements.

ENTRY DOORS

Our Landmark-style doors are developed with close attention to historic dimensions panel layouts, profiles, and finishes, ensuring they align with the original and often distinct architectural character of each building we work on. Each door can be tailored to meet preservation guidelines while incorporating modern performance features such as enhanced security, thermal efficiency, and durability.

A classic, stately jet-black Georgian-style front door with three inset rectangular panels is set within a light-colored stone surround, featuring a prominent central gold-colored round door knocker, a matching lever handle, and a brass-plated letterbox, all complemented by symmetrical black lantern-style wall lights and a decorative black wrought-iron staircase railing in the foreground.

Deep green, triple-pane entry doors with an oversized semi-circular arched transom window are set within a recessed red-brick alcove, featuring a prominent keystone and a decorative plaque identifying the historic Vanderbilt Avenue landmark, all reflected against a backdrop of Brooklyn's urban scenery visible through the glass panes.

Click on the images to see detailed case studies of these projects.

Decorative elements

For historic buildings, matching the window type and proportions is often not enough. Preserving the character, atmosphere, and architectural charm of the property also requires careful attention to original decorative elements, such as the moldings, cornices, and other ornamental details.

A sophisticated, multi-stepped entablature painted in a matte slate-grey finish is set against a backdrop of weathered, historic red brick, featuring crisp horizontal moldings and a projecting top cornice that casts rhythmic shadows, seamlessly integrating classical architectural detailing with the rugged, industrial texture of the building's facade.

A sophisticated, slate-blue storefront with elegant recessed paneling and classic crown molding features expansive glass windows that reflect a bustling city street with historic red brick buildings and yellow taxis, while a central, narrow glass-paned door with a sleek black handle provides a glimpse into a contemporary, light-filled interior.

Our company specializes in complex preservation projects where these details play a critical role. A representative example is this storefront in Manhattan’s East Village, where we not only designed and fabricated the storefront system but also developed a custom decorative sheet-metal cornice in order to carefully replicate the original early-1900s design. This approach allowed the project to retain its historic look and feel while meeting modern performance and regulatory requirements.

Steel Systems

It is also important to remember that historic architecture is not defined by wood alone. In many preservation and restoration projects, steel window and door systems play a vital role. They help maintain the authentic character of industrial, commercial, and early modern buildings. This is especially true in New York City’s historic districts. When designed thoughtfully, steel systems preserve original styles and slender sightlines. At the same time, they provide the strength and durability needed for long-term performance.

Examples include the former Military Hospital in Catanzaro, a landmark of 20th-century architecture. Another is Cà da Mosto, one of the oldest buildings in Venice. This Veneto-Byzantine landmark overlooks the Grand Canal. These buildings show that steel systems have long played an integral role in historic structures. Slender steel profiles help preserve their distinct character. They also prove that metal elements can remain historically accurate when applied with care and respect for the original design.

The historic "Corte storica" courtyard of the Procura della Repubblica di Catanzaro, formerly a 15th-century Franciscan military hospital, features a weathered, multi-textured stone facade punctuated by a series of pointed Gothic arches that form a colonnaded walkway, while modern slate-blue OS2 metal-framed windows are symmetrically aligned on the upper white-plastered level, all under a clear blue sky.

In a contemporary guest room at The Venice Venice Hotel, two expansive, satin brass-framed Secco Sistemi OS2 windows meet at a corner to reveal a panoramic, golden-hour view of the Grand Canal, where gondolas glide past the historic 13th-century Palazzo Ca' da Mosto, while the interior features a minimalist, tufted cream-colored bench, a solitary book, and a sophisticated combination of sheer linen and heavy dark floor-to-ceiling drapes.

Navigating the NYC Landmark window approval process requires experience, precision, and a clear understanding of LPC requirements. A thoughtful and informed approach can save you valuable time, minimize costly revisions, and help preserve the historic character of your building.

If you’re planning a Landmark window project, please email us, or visit our website to submit a contact form — our team will be glad to answer your questions and guide you through every step of the process.