American Architectural Window & Door (AAWD), one of the region's leading fenestration installation specialists, recently completed a major renovation of a vintage Manhattan building. The project involved the transformation of a circa 1913 ten-story Manhattan Mini Storage building at 401 East 110th St. into a 21st Century gem through the extensive use of energy-efficient Kalwall translucent panels. American Architectural Window & Door handled much of the fenestration installation and assisted with the fenestration design and material selection portion of the building renovation for owner Edison Properties and architect Papadatos Partnership, LLP. In order to meet stringent owner performance criteria as to light transmittance, energy efficiency, security and appearance for the fenestration materials, American Architectural Window & Door researched and proposed a Kalwall insulated panel system with critically aligned custom grids. American Architectural Window & Door employed 702 Kalwall panels to fill the building's 234 window openings. The Kalwall panels are decorative translucent glass-reinforced composite fenestration panels that provide a modern alternative to traditional insulated glass or panel curtain or window walls. Prismatic glass fibers imbedded in the Kalwall panel face refract sunshine, even on overcast days, to provide building interiors with bright diffused glare-free and shadow-free natural light. The structurally strong and aesthetically appealing Kalwall panels offer extraordinary energy efficiency ratings, no maintenance, and are shatterproof and highly vandal resistant. American Architectural Window & Door's project managers and installation technicians are certified Kalwall installers. American Architectural Window & Door also installed a dramatic 10-story corner glass façade revealing each floor's elevator/staircase landing lobby. Custom extruded exterior and interior breakmetal trim pieces were designed by American Architectural Window & Door and used throughout the building to finish off both the Kalwall and traditional fenestration openings. "I am extremely proud of the fenestration work we did at the Manhattan Mini Storage facility," said John Zoetjes, president of American Architectural Window & Door. "Recently our company changed its name from New Jersey Window Erectors to American Architectural Window & Door and our logo to a soaring American Bald Eagle. Like our new name and logo, this project represents much of what else is new about us, and allowed us to showcase our full range of abilities - familiarity with innovative new fenestration materials, involvement in energy efficient "green" projects, capabilities to handle a wide variety of building types, in-house material selection and superior design expertise." The building's renovation presented American Architectural Window & Door with several installation challenges. Special interior conversions planned for the renovation and widely varying existing conditions necessitated extraordinary custom engineering and custom finish solutions from American Architectural Window & Door. The structural conditions encountered in the almost 100-year-old building's façade required American Architectural Window & Door to perform additional anchoring and framing prior to installing windows and Kalwall panels. Since the building remained in service as a storage facility, American Architectural Window & Door was required to carefully coordinate its work with the other rehab contractors. American Architectural Window & Door crews exercised the greatest care, consideration and security with regard to the public accessing the building and the items stored therein. American Architectural Window & Door is a full-service fenestration supply and installation leader, serving customers with commercial, institutional and multi-family residential properties. With locations in Northern New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, the company manages replacement and new construction installation projects from Maryland to Connecticut.