With historic replica windows as one of our specialties, we jumped at the chance to help renovate one of the nation’s most elegant hotels, the famous Read House Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Re-built in 1926, The Read House Hotel has hosted world leaders, presidents, and celebrities.
Bought by Avocet Hospitality Group, The Read House Hotel underwent a $25 million renovation with upgrades to the exterior facade, windows, and an interior overhaul that brought back the sumptuous Gatsby-esque style of the 1920s. As a historic property, the windows had to look the part. WINCO and glazing contractor Ross Glass & Aluminum acted quickly to meet the hotel opening deadline. At the last minute, the historic preservation experts added a historic trim to the panning that needed to be custom fabricated.
“We’d worked with WINCO before, and we knew they were very good at dealing with historic regulations,” says glazing contractor Joe Hailey with Ross Glass & Aluminum. WINCO’s Series 1450S and 4500 historic window systems were approved with the clock ticking.
Full Speed Ahead
Back in St. Louis, the fabrication started with only a two-month lead-time, including the custom panning features. The installation team had only a month to install the windows. The race was on. The plan was to complete the first 10 floors to accommodate guests for opening. “Unbelievably, we got the entire building done in time,” says Hailey. “Having the right contractor, the right architect, and the right window company made all the difference.”
