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ILPC tables window-replacement application at 102 (Trippheimer/September) Road; schedules on-site review
Summary
The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission tabled a window-replacement application to allow a site visit and additional documentation; commissioners asked for measured details, unit mock-ups and clarification whether windows are beyond repair.
The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission tabled a certificate of appropriateness application for window replacement at a property in the Cornell Heights Historic District and scheduled an on-site review by a small group of commissioners to assess existing conditions.
Commissioners said the first threshold in a window application is determining whether existing historic windows are beyond repair. Staff and commissioners described the property’s windows as casements and fixed casements, noted missing glazing and paint deterioration in places, and discussed the benefits of internal storm windows as a repair strategy. The applicant’s packet was large (the applicant reported it contained 132 pages), and commissioners said it lacked the specific head, jamb and sill details and side-by-side existing/proposed drawings the commission needs to determine whether full replacement is warranted.
Staff advised that a smaller group of commissioners could conduct a site visit without creating a formal public meeting if the members present do not constitute a quorum; that approach was agreed to as the next step. Commissioners requested that the applicant provide measured details (head, jamb, meeting-mullion, sill), sample mock-ups of two window units (assembled for the commission to evaluate depth and sightlines), and clarification whether individual units can be repaired instead of replaced. Staff also noted that many of the proposed replacement units are factory-built multi-light casements and that using separate replacement frames could reduce the visible glass area compared with existing multi-light configurations.
"If it is a smaller group of the commission that wants to meet on-site to review the windows, that makes it easier to schedule," staff said, outlining the non-quorum site-visit option and asking to table the application to allow that inspection. Commissioners agreed to table the application pending the site visit and additional details; the commission plans to reconvene to continue consideration after members have inspected the windows in person.
The commission recommended that the applicant bring two assembled sample units demonstrating the proposed depth and profile so members can judge visual loss of glass area and whether the proposed replacement matches existing historic profiles. The commission said it expects staff or a delegated small team to document findings from the site visit and present those findings at a future meeting for a formal vote.
