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Owner of 19 Main Street seeks guidance from Concord HDC on replacing operable windows
Summary
The owner of 19 Main Street presented photos and sought informal guidance. Commissioners advised archival research, preferred like‑for‑like wood replacements over inset inserts that change proportions, and recommended painted wood with no aluminum cladding.
David Evey, owner of 19 Main Street, requested informal feedback from the Concord Historic Districts Commission before filing a formal application to replace a set of operable windows on his property.
Evey said the building (a 1959 brick two‑story) has large fixed-pane windows he does not intend to replace and about 11 operable sash windows that are difficult to operate and do not lock. He showed interior and exterior photos and said the current condition includes old storm windows (white) and interior sash mechanisms that appear to be aftermarket jam liners. He said his goal is improved energy efficiency and operability and that he is open to historically appropriate replacements (he mentioned Marvin and Pella as possible manufacturers) and to repainting the façade if needed.
Commission members urged Evey to research historic photographs in the town archives and special collections (staff contact Anke Voss, special collections, was recommended) to identify original window proportions. Commissioners said they generally prefer full replacement that includes new jambs and brick mold so the exterior proportions remain unchanged rather than inset replacement inserts that reduce the visible glass area or change the proportion of glazing. The commission emphasized painted wood as the preferred exterior material and asked applicants to avoid aluminum cladding.
Commissioners also noted that removing exterior white storm windows and replacing them with painted black storms could improve the building's appearance and that any replacement should preserve original sightlines and proportions. No formal application or vote occurred; Evey said he would do research, consult special collections, and return with a formal application.
