Visitors to the historic Westborough Town Hall probably are not aware of the building’s state-of-the-art energy efficient windows or maintenance-free finish. They just see a well-kept, comfortable, nearly century-old stately building that’s an integral part of the city’s character in all seasons. And that’s the point.
From the beginning of the Town Hall’s renovation, architect Brian Humes of Jacunski Humes Architects was determined to maintain the building’s historic aesthetic — and update it to modern standards.
It was no small order. Due to the building’s lack of accessibility, employees were only using 40 percent of the space. Meetings that were held at the Town Hall were limited to a few specific rooms because the building did not have an elevator or heating system. Faulty windows exacerbated the problem, making the rooms too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.
“The offices had radiators and external piping wrapped in asbestos, and the building was filled with mold,” recalls town manager Jim Malloy.
To make matters worse, previous attempts at window replacement had created a mish-mash of styles and quality. Some windows were all aluminum in brown finish and others did not respect the building’s historic trim work and exterior cupola construction. They all needed to be updated.
Humes had a few other obstacles to overcome. Whatever he did to remedy this situation had to stay within the bounds of Westborough’s historic district guidelines. He also needed sign off from the local Design Review Committee and the Municipal Building Committee on all renovations.
“We had to bring forward actual material samples, colors, and computer graphics to show the before and after of the building,” Humes says.
After careful consideration, the board and Humes agreed the new windows’ interior should retain a wood finish, while the windows’ exterior should provide a maintenance free finish. At the same time, the windows needed to be energy-efficient, maintain original dimensions, and provide a wood finish that matched the existing wood trims throughout the building.
These many factors mandated careful and deliberate planning. Fortunately, Humes had Marvin Windows and Doors. The service helped identify products that would duplicate the existing historic windows with maintenance-free exterior and historically accurate wood interior.
For instance, Marvin helped Hume identify a clear white oak wood that could match the grain of the existing interior wood trim. Humes says Marvin was essential in providing the level of customization he needed, including determining a standard panning profile that closely resembled the original panning profiles installed in 1928.
Humes’ careful attention to detail in the building’s windows, shutters, and classical interior wood trim impressed the judges of Marvin Architects Challenge 2017, who recognized his work as Best Remodel. The work was completed in 2016, and the building has been restored to its original stature to the delight of the town—and visitors alike.
