Commission agrees to replace deteriorated windows at 102 Trippheimer Road, limits aesthetic replacements

The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission agreed to allow the replacement of several windows at 102 Trippheimer (Tripp Hammer) Road, finding the bay window and several low‑visibility openings have deteriorated to the point that replacement is warranted, while signaling reluctance to permit replacement for purely aesthetic reasons on prominent elevations.

Staff presented a condition slideshow showing significant rot in the bay window and summarized the commission’s design guidance: repair is preferred and replacement is justified when features have functionally reached the end of their useful life. "The standards say you repair, and if you can't repair, you replace in kind," a commission member said during deliberations.

John, the Renewal by Andersen project manager, described the proposed scope as an insert application for seven first‑floor openings and said the company’s composite, high‑performance units are designed to match color and finish. The property owner, participating by Zoom, said years of maintenance and intermittent repairs left many windows nonfunctional and painted shut, arguing replacement is now necessary for durability and energy performance.

Commissioners divided the windows into three groups: (1) severely deteriorated windows that merit replacement (the bay window was the clearest example); (2) highly visible windows that the commission prefers to repair when feasible; and (3) low‑visibility windows that staff may approve if they meet the guidelines. After discussion the commission signaled agreement to allow replacement of the bay window, the notable north elevation window adjacent to the bay, and the living‑room windows on the west elevation, subject to staff review of installation details.

Members raised technical concerns about the proposed product's reduced mullion and sill dimensions compared with historic profiles. Staff said the proposed units were submitted with side‑by‑side worksheets and that the sill could be kept and wrapped if necessary; Renewal by Andersen confirmed insert and full‑frame options exist. The commission asked staff to document why specific windows were permitted while others were not and to require staff approval of the final sill/wrap approach and any gate details that affect visibility.

Staff said it will draft a resolution reflecting findings under the municipal standards and the Secretary of the Interior guidance and circulate final language for the commission’s review.