Historic Windows Restored

Historic Windows Restored

The Historic Colonial Hotel before (left) and after (right) the cornice and window restoration projects.

MEYERSDALE -- In December 2006, the Historic Colonial Hotel reinstalled the windows across the third and fourth floors of the facade, marking the end of a multi-month window restoration effort. The project involved craftsmen in Pennsylvania and Colorado and was made possible through a facade improvement grant from Meyersdale Renaissance, Inc., the community's Main Street program.

The project began with the removal of the historic windows in July 2005. The stages of restoration are as follows:

1. REMOVAL. The property owners, Cheria Yost and Adam Thomas, with the assistance of Thomas Yost and Brian Cleven, carefully removed each of the sashes. Upon removal, Thomas numbered each sash so that it could be returned to the appropriate opening following restoration. Thomas and Yost securely packed the windows for the journey westward to their Colorado workshop. They also installed black-painted plywood panels in each of the now vacant window openings.

Adam Thomas removes windows from the third story.

2. PAINT STRIPPING. Jet Strip of Longmont, Colorado, carefully removed the paint from each of the windows, revealing the beautiful brass and copper hardware.

Detail of the copper sash lock shining again after Jet Strip removed years of paint.

3a. GLASS REMOVAL AND STABILIZATION. Thomas and Yost removed the glazing compound and glass from each sash, again numbering each pane for exact replacement. Sterling Holdorf, of Sterling Restorations in Estes Park, Colorado, repaired the sashes with serious damage, completely building two of them from scratch.

Sterling Holdorf restores damages sashes.

3b. Meanwhile, Buddy Grimm, of Buddy Grimm Carpentry in Meyersdale, stripped and repaired the window frames and repainted the tin entablatures above the third-story windows. He also rehung the sash weights and installed new cords.

4. Thomas and Yost reinstalled the original glass, replacing it only if the original pane was broken. They then applied a historically accurate, vegetable-oil-based glazing compound and repainted each sash.

5. Thomas and Yost, with the assistance of Buddy Grimm, Brian Cleven, and Richard Bray, reinstalled the windows.

Cheria Yost and Adam Thomas wish to thank everyone who assisted in the window restoration project, particularly Meyersdale Renaissance, Inc. The project took a bold step forward in restoring one of downtown Meyersdale's most elegant facades.


Historic Windows Restored The Historic Colonial Hotel before (left) and after (right) the cornice and window restoration projects. MEYERSDALE -- In December 2006, the Historic Colonial Hotel reinstalled the windows across the third and fourth floors of the facade, marking the end of a multi-month window restoration effort. The project involved craftsmen in Pennsylvania and Colorado and was made possible through a facade improvement grant from Meyersdale Renaissance, Inc., the community's Main Street program. The project began with the removal of the historic windows in July 2005. The stages of restoration are as follows: 1. REMOVAL. The property owners, Cheria Yost and Adam Thomas, with the assistance of Thomas Yost and Brian Cleven, carefully removed each of the sashes. Upon removal, Thomas numbered each sash so that it could be returned to the appropriate opening following restoration. Thomas and Yost securely packed the windows for the journey westward to their Colorado workshop. They also installed black-painted plywood panels in each of the now vacant window openings. Adam Thomas removes windows from the third story. 2. PAINT STRIPPING. Jet Strip of Longmont, Colorado, carefully removed the paint from each of the windows, revealing the beautiful brass and copper hardware. Detail of the copper sash lock shining again after Jet Strip removed years of paint. 3a. GLASS REMOVAL AND STABILIZATION. Thomas and Yost removed the glazing compound and glass from each sash, again numbering each pane for exact replacement. Sterling Holdorf, of Sterling Restorations in Estes Park, Colorado, repaired the sashes with serious damage, completely building two of them from scratch. Sterling Holdorf restores damages sashes. 3b. Meanwhile, Buddy Grimm, of Buddy Grimm Carpentry in Meyersdale, stripped and repaired the window frames and repainted the tin entablatures above the third-story windows. He also rehung the sash weights and installed new cords. 4. Thomas and Yost reinstalled the original glass, replacing it only if the original pane was broken. They then applied a historically accurate, vegetable-oil-based glazing compound and repainted each sash. 5. Thomas and Yost, with the assistance of Buddy Grimm, Brian Cleven, and Richard Bray, reinstalled the windows. Cheria Yost and Adam Thomas wish to thank everyone who assisted in the window restoration project, particularly Meyersdale Renaissance, Inc. The project took a bold step forward in restoring one of downtown Meyersdale's most elegant facades.
(c) 2005 Historic Colonial Hotel, L.L.C.