Scope of Work
- Full fabrication of a new mahogany storefront with 10’ doors and 6’ transoms
- Restoration of arch-top weight-and-chain windows on the 2nd and 6th floors
- Full replication of arch-top weight-and-chain windows on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors
- Recreation of original molding profiles and installation of replica wavy glass
- Integration of complex commercial hardware systems for storefront operability
Points of Interest
- 10’ storefront doors required custom hardware and precise installation to manage weight and operation.
- Original window profiles and wavy glass were either preserved or faithfully replicated, maintaining visual continuity.
- The use of both Dutch patching and full fabrication reflects the hybrid restoration/replication strategy.
Challenges
- Managing the weight and hardware requirements for oversized storefront doors and transoms
- Matching historic profiles and molding details across floors with different conditions
- Coordinating multiple techniques—restoration and replication—within one cohesive system
- Ensuring full compliance with LPC paint and profile specifications
Materials & Techniques
- Materials Used
Sapele mahogany, restoration wavy glass, solid brass hardware, exterior paints - Techniques
Dutch patching, custom profile milling, repairs with marine epoxy, precision hardware installation. Complete painting - Tools Used
Traditional machinery Custom shaper blades, mortising tools, hand equipment, industrial painting equipment. - Waterproofing
Concealed membrane systems, caulking, integrated flashing - Installation Notes
Weight-and-chain hardware balanced for height and scale; all hardware fully recessed. Brick to brick installation for new storefront and windows.
History
This six-story structure in Lower Manhattan dates back to the mid-1800s and carries the visual weight of its era with detailed brickwork, arched windows, and a classic ground-level commercial storefront. Right Path Windows & Restoration was brought on to lead a full-spectrum façade restoration that required a mix of careful restoration and historically faithful replication.
Building Information
Type of Building: Historic Commercial (Mixed-Use)
Location: 80 White Street, New York, NY
Year Built: Mid-1800s
Why the Storefront and Windows Needed Restoration
The building’s original windows and storefront had deteriorated, compromising performance, safety, and aesthetics. Several floors still held operable historic windows, while others had been replaced or were no longer functional. The storefront, including massive entry doors and transoms, needed a complete rebuild. Per NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) requirements, all replacements and repairs needed to match the original design and detailing.
What We Did at 80 White St.
We fabricated the new ground-level storefront entirely from Sapele mahogany. The 10-foot-tall doors and 6-foot transoms above were glazed with 1” insulated glass, which added considerable weight. Drawing from experience with oversized entries, we selected heavy-duty hardware—including concealed closers, mortised locksets, and reinforced thresholds—to ensure smooth operation and long-term performance.
The second- and sixth-floor windows, each approximately 118″ x 46″, were original weight-and-chain arch-top units. Given the high cost of replacement and their historical value, we restored these using traditional Dutch patching to repair decayed wood, filled minor damage with marine-grade epoxy, and repainted using Benjamin Moore OC-1 per LPC specs. The original wavy glass was replaced with restoration glass, retaining the building’s historic character.
For the third, fourth, and fifth floors, we fabricated new windows in our shop to precisely replicate the originals. All molding profiles were custom milled to match. Each unit featured solid brass chains, pulleys, sash locks, and lifts.