Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for improvements of the windows of Cornell College’s Platner House.
Scott Ladwig, construction project manager, outlined why he was choosing to go with the bidder for the contractor he could to replace the rounded windows and other windows with more energy efficient windows for the building.
Ladwig has sought bids from numerous contractors, and the cost for restoring the windows and doors for Platner House with a contractor like Russell Constructions came in at $520,000.
“That cost is prohibitive to doing any work that can help preserve the historical building,” Ladwig said. “Cornell College does not have that type of money for restoration of one building.”
Ladwig said that he has found a bid from Lite Windows who will do the work of replacing these windows for $40,000.
The caveat is that replacement will be not using wood windows, but will be utilizing aluminum clad windows in the homes.
Ladwig said the goal will be to color match the windows with the current color of the frames and work to not change much of the exterior look of the building, while replacing the windows with more energy efficient windows and better protect the interior of the building.
“We’ll gain efficiencies for the building by going with a double paned and energy efficient windows,” Ladwig said.
As well, the contractor will be able to replace the rounded windows instead of having to replace them with a flat window as other contractors had looked to do.
Board member Guy Booth said that the project presented was well thought out and he understood the necessity of using windows more energy efficient at this cost to help with more renovations that need to be completed for the preservation of the historical building.
“This is not a compromise, this is work on maintaining the historical building,” Booth said.
Ladwig said there are very few contractors who work with rounded windows, and discovering a contractor who does that and works locally was beneficial.
“My goal is to get people back to using this building in some capacity,” Ladwig said. “This building is on a historic corner of campus and it makes no sense to let it deteriorate if we can get work done on the building. We just couldn’t fathom spending $2 million for restoring one building.”
The building will still have an interior remodel from the basement to the attic on top of the window replacements, but that $470,000 price difference for window replacement will allow more work to be completed.
Request for Proposal guidelines work continues
Board president Sue Astley said work has continued on the requests for proposals for the new design guidelines for the Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission.
Astley said that 10 firms have been identified who have worked with commissions in Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri that they hope to send the RFPs out to. The RFPs will be sent in the next few weeks.
Masonry work completed at Visitor’s Center
Masonry work at the Visitor’s Center is nearly complete. According to Sue Astley, Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission board president, the building has had damaged mortar removed and the building has been re-mortared and tuckpointed.
Astley is working with Mount Vernon public works employee Jayne Dewitt on the landscaping around the building as well as part of the project, primarily the replacement of shrubs that touch the building on the north side.
MVHPC approves certificate of appropriateness for Platner House work
Nathan Countryman, Editor
May 23, 2024
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.