This
1910 building had suffered some haphazard
alterations over the years. The present
owners were in the process of restoring
it for their Christian Day School
and wanted to replace the ill-fitting
aluminum entrance that had been installed
by previous owners.
In our research,
we discovered photos of the original entrance, which was designed
by renowned Philadelphia architect, Frank Furness, 90 years
before. Back then, the entrance was as grand as the building,
with two 30-inch doors. Today's ADA standards require a wider
opening.
Our solution was this single, custom-designed
white oak door with two sidelights that completely echoed
the look of the original entrance while adhering to contemporary
ADA requirements. Not only was the doorway created in the
spirit of the original designer and builder, but we did so
with the same traditional tools,
techniques, finishes, and materials that were used in the
initial construction. In addition, we completely restored
the original transom, repairing more than 75 cracks and breaks
in its frame and re-setting the glass.
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