Board denies Renewal by Andersen window replacement at 1255 Eckert Avenue, cites policy and missing details

The City of Redding Historic Architectural Review Board voted to deny an application to replace 10 original wood double‑hung windows at 1255 Eckert Avenue with Renewal by Andersen Fibrex replacement windows and to replace the entry door with a fiberglass unit. Preservation staff said the house is a contributing Queen Anne row home and cited Standards 2, 5 and 6 and the board’s hard window policy in their review.

A contractor representative described the proposed product as a custom, inside‑to‑inside replacement designed to replicate historic sash sightlines and to improve energy efficiency. He said the company’s product is built to approximate historic profiles and that it can be installed without removing exterior trim. “Our windows are specifically made to look like a 100‑year‑old window...you’d never know it was Fibrex,” the representative said.

Board review focused on dimensions and documentation. Preservation staff and a board technical reviewer reported that the submitted drawings indicate a reduction in glass light (about 1–2 inches per sash and roughly 2 inches total vertically) relative to existing openings and that necessary head jamb and sill details were not provided to demonstrate a like‑for‑like replication. Citing those deficiencies and the board’s window policy requirements, a board member moved to deny the application; the motion carried on a roll call vote. Staff advised that the homeowner may appeal the decision to the city council or may revise the proposal to include full head jamb and sill details and exact dimensions to meet the policy.

The denial preserves the board’s standards for window proportions and sightlines for contributing properties. The board encouraged the applicant and homeowner to submit more complete documentation or explore alternate solutions that demonstrate minimal visual change to the building’s historic windows.