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Tempco Glass Fabrication recently supplied new energy efficient dual-pane insulated glass units for the major renovation of an iconic New York City office building at 817 Broadway in Manhattan. Tempco was part of the window fenestration design and installation team modernizing the building’s façade while preserving its historic appearance. 



The fenestration team consisted of Optimum Windows, of Ellenville, NY, M&R Windows of Yonkers, NY, and Tempco Glass Fabrication of Flushing, NY. Optimum fabricated the aluminum window frames, Tempco fabricated 364 large insulated glass units (IGUs) for the windows, and M&R Windows installed the windows and finishing accessories. 



“Because of our glass expertise and fabrication experience, Tempco was asked to provide the glass solution to bring the windows in this 125-year old building up to today’s energy standards,” said Johnson Chen, General Manager for Tempco. “Through very close coordination with the window frame manufacturer and installer, we were able to provide options and samples for the architect and general contractor to evaluate prior to final selection and order placement, saving delays and costly changes once construction began.” 



Prior to finalizing the window specifications, Tempco provided the other fenestration team members with glass and low-E coating recommendations to achieve the desired energy efficiency within the cost parameters for the project. Since the building was pending New York City landmark status, the stringent design approval process took several months, but once the window glass was approved, Tempco moved quickly into production. 



Tempco supplied the project with over 7,700-ft2 or 364 IGUs.  The 1” thick double-pane IGUs fabricated by Tempco consisted of AGC ¼” Energy Select 73 outer glass and ¼” clear glass separated by ½” spacer. Both inner and outer lights for all units were tempered at Tempco’s Flushing, NY facility. The sizes of the large IGUs ranged from 26” wide by 78” tall to 73” wide by 48” tall, with the vast majority in the 70” wide by 45” tall size. All IGUs were delivered directly to the jobsite by Tempco and glazed on site by the installation contractor using a snap-in aluminum glazing bead and wedge gasket system. 



So as to replicate the building’s original double-hung windows, most of the Tempco IGUs were installed in Optimum Series 680 aluminum window frames consisting of a fixed top sash and an in-swing casement operating bottom sash. Twenty-eight of the windows used a single tall IGU in a fixed Series 680 frame. The Optimum Series 680 aluminum windows feature 2-⅝” deep frames with energy saving polyamide insulating strut style thermal breaks and 1” glazing pockets. All the operating casements were outfitted with sash opening limit devices. 



Construction challenges for the window replacement project in the occupied building involved jobsite deliveries to the busy, congested part of Manhattan and the handling of the large heavy window frames and IGUs. In some cases, exterior hoisting of the windows and glass units was necessary.



The architect for 817 Broadway’s renovations was Studios Architecture of New York, NY, and the general contractor was JRM Construction Management, also of New York, NY. Following the renovation work in June 2019, 817 Broadway was awarded Landmark designation by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.



When completed in 1895, the 15-story structure was a marvel of architecture and engineering for the time and an early “skyscraper,” which originally towered over its 5- and 6- story neighbors. The 140,000-ft2 building designed by notable architect George G. Post (who also designed the New York Stock Exchange building) was originally used by clothing manufacturer Meyer Jonasson & Company and has been home to many clothing manufacturers and commercial offices over the years.

Ornate limestone, terra cotta, and Roman brick elements characteristic of the Renaissance-Revival style gave the building its elegant appearance. The property was acquired in 2016 by Taconic Investment Partners, TH Real Estate, and Squire Investments, which launched the major renovation and investment effort, including the complete façade and fenestration restoration. Now known as 817 Broadway, the property features ground floor retail space, loft style offices on upper floors, and a rooftop garden and lounge space.