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Commission continues application to replace windows at 32 School Street amid preservation concerns
Summary
An owner requested Fibrex window replacements for uniformity; the commission raised strong objections to replacement material choices and continued the application to allow a Heritage Foundation report, window schedule and additional photos to be submitted.
Scott Giedrick (S17), a resident and owner at 32 School Street, asked the commission for permission to replace failing windows across a multi‑unit building with Renewal by Andersen (Fibrex) windows to achieve continuity. The commission reviewed prior approvals in the building and the applicant’s submission of additional images; several commissioners said the commission’s current standards disfavor synthetic replacement windows on contributing buildings and requested more documentation to show that the existing wood windows could not be repaired.
Commissioner (S9) urged repair over replacement and said the replacement windows “lack depth” and will not last as long as original wood windows; the commission asked the applicant to provide a Heritage Foundation restoration report or equivalent documentation and to return with a window schedule that identifies which openings would be replaced and what profiles would be used. The commission continued the application to the Oct. 8 meeting to allow the applicant to supply the additional materials.
Why it matters: The debate reflects a broader, ongoing policy question for the district about when to allow composite replacement windows on contributing buildings. Commissioners explicitly asked staff and the applicant to explore repair options first and to submit a precise window schedule that can be evaluated against the commission’s updated standards.
