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Commission approves replacement windows for 1435 Fuel Avenue with conditions to match original appearance
Summary
The commission approved replacement windows for the contributing, two-story property at 1435 Fuel Avenue (built 1929) with the condition that new windows match original profiles, operability and exterior muntin patterns; staff and the homeowner agreed to phased installation.
The City of El Paso Historic Landmark Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for replacement of multiple windows at 1435 Fuel Avenue in the Sunset Heights Historic District, with the condition that replacement windows match the historic appearance, operation and muntin configuration of the original windows.
Staff said the 1929 contributing building has roughly 30–36 windows of varying types and conditions; some windows are deteriorated to the point of having plastic or temporary coverings. Staff recommended replacement windows that match original double-hung sash types and use three-dimensional applied exterior muntins where necessary so the new windows read like the originals from the public right of way. Staff discouraged horizontal sliders on primary façades and noted that vegetation cannot be relied on as permanent coverage of façade changes.
Homeowner Kimberly Shaw, who said she began the window project in 2016 and has already purchased five windows needed immediately, told commissioners the replacement windows "are gonna be identical to these in in appearance" and that work will be phased over 18–24 months because of cost. She clarified that the bathroom windows at the front of the house are non‑operable single panes and that other windows will be configured as 6-over-1 or 4-over-1 per existing conditions; she said she will seek exterior three-dimensional applied muntins to recreate the original divided-light look.
Commissioners and staff agreed the proposal met the guidelines so long as replacement windows matched original operations and the exterior appearance. The commission voted to approve staff's recommendation; staff said a certificate of approval would be issued within one to two weeks and that the owner should coordinate phased permit pulls with the Historic Preservation Office and building inspectors.
Next steps: homeowner to obtain certificate from the Historic Preservation Office and to coordinate phased installation and building permits for each stage; staff will require specifications that show exterior applied muntins and confirm operability and profiles for primary façade windows.
