Gamco Corp. creates custom storefront for Kamakura Shirts; designed by Kaneko Architects; general contractor was SPK/Lewis

Gamco Corp., one of the New York metro area's leading manufacturers of special fenestration products and architectural metals, has created a custom storefront for an upscale retailer. The Kamakura Shirts store at 400 Madison Ave. sports a façade fabricated from aluminum that replicates a traditional raised panel wood storefront. Through its mimicry of wood and its large windows, the custom metal and glass façade provides a warm appearance of quality and traditional fashion sophistication with inviting views of the store's interior, all in keeping with the retailer's brand. With its strength and durability, the aluminum storefront is a superior and longer lasting, lower maintenance system than a wood storefront. The storefront was designed by Kaneko Architects and SPK/Lewis was the general contractor for the store's overall renovation and fit-out. Powder coat painting services for the custom storefront system were supplied to Gamco by Structural Processing Corp.. The storefront was installed by Best Craft Corp. Following the architect's design, the Gamco team of experienced craftsmen cut, bent, rolled and welded 0.10 thickness T-5 alloy aluminum sheets into the custom raised panels and some of the moulding shapes. Other mouldings were created from aluminum tubular extrusions cut into half and quarter-round shapes. To obtain the raised panel look, progressively smaller aluminum panels and aluminum moulding trim pieces were fastened to larger panels, simulating traditional wood construction. The 1/8" wall thickness base panels have an insulated core. The panels were assembled in the factory with final placement and connection to the structural frame done in the field. The façade framing is a standard Gamco storefront system consisting of 4" x 4" solid aluminum vertical posts and 1-3/4" x 4" horizontal members. The vertical posts are detailed with decorative concave corner grooves. A custom aluminum and glass sign box panel for the transom space above the entrance doors completes the façade. The entranceway is a Gamco D500 Wide Stile door system, which was upgraded with matching raised aluminum panels in the lower portions and custom brass handles and trim (provided by the customer) on the two doors. The double door system features mortised continuous hinges, keyed lockset, concealed overhead closers and flush locking bolts on the inactive door. All the raised panel façade and door components as well as the storefront framing are finished in a durable VOC-free powder coat blue finish, custom matched to a specific color requested by the customer. Gamco also supplied the 1" insulated glass panels used in the project. Each insulated glass panel was fabricated using dual panes of 3⁄16" thick clear tempered glass for the doors and 1/4" clear tempered glass for the storefront panels. Kamakura Shirts is an international purveyor of quality handmade dress shirts and ties noted for meticulous tailoring, craftsmanship and exact sizing. Kamakura is based in Japan and the Madison Ave. store is the company's first location in the United States.