PROJECT SUMMARY

Carnegie Mellon University’s historic Hamerschlag Hall is a 100-year-old structure designed by the renowned architect Henry Hornbostel, with its iconic tower and large window openings as the focal points of the building. Today, the building is home to faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratories for the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
 
Built in 1912, Hamerschlag Hall has gone through many renovations over the years, however the existing wood single pane windows remained intact, having been painted many times over.

In May 2016, Volpatt Construction received a contract to replace a install a handful of custom window profiles to match the existing. What began as a modest size project grew into a massive replacement of 68 windows, some spanning several stories, affecting multiple user groups and floors. The window replacement had to be phased between the summer sessions in order to minimize interference with daily campus operations, classes and professors’ schedules.

The detail in the interior trim work alone can be described as nothing less than a work of art. Allegheny Millwork provided profiles that blend seamlessly with the original architecture and the effort behind the installation is evident at first glance.
 
Since the original project’s completion, Carnegie Mellon University has been so impressed with our efforts in working with the team to plan, schedule and install the windows so they appear identical to the original that they continue to call upon Volpatt Construction for other window replacement projects at Doherty Hall, the College of Fine Arts, Porter Hall, and Margaret Morrison Hall.