Frontier House windows are as approved

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Windows recently installed at the Frontier House are per specification, Loretta Frankovitch said Monday.

The chairwoman of the Village of Lewiston Historic Preservation Commission sought to assuage concerns she heard regarding the exterior changes that took place late last month.

“Just to confirm what went in there, they are aluminum-clad wood windows. They are wood on the inside, aluminum on the outside,” she said at the start of the HPC meeting. “The wood framing has not gone on the window yet, but it will, and that was what was approved by SHPO (New York's State Historic Preservation Office). It’s controlled by the state. It’s gone through all the approvals. There shouldn’t be any sort of misinformation out there but, as you know, there is. So, we’re just verbally stating that we are following everything that SHPO recommends.”

Precision Siding & Roofing Company installed Harvey Windows + Doors-brand casements toward the end of July. That replacement work included swapping out the most noticeably damaged windows above the front porch, plus windows alongside the side and back walls, and even windows on the basement level.

New Frontier House windows were recently installed at 460 Center St., Lewiston.

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Also at Monday’s meeting:

•HPC members approved sign applications for The Vintage Barber Shop (755 Center St.), Lewiston Estates and Antiques (621 Center St.) and Hanna Center Martial Arts & Yoga (791 Center St.) The Planning Commission, at its session, also granted approval for these markers.

The Historical Association of Lewiston is investigating replacing the roof at the Lewiston Museum at 469 Plain St.

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•The Historical Association of Lewiston was given permission to begin the process of replacing the circa-1996 roof on the Lewiston Museum at 469 Plain St.

HAL President Ken Slaugenhoupt said, “We do have an emergency situation.” The roof has been leaking, and a contractor deemed it beyond repair. “It’s been damaged substantially, and we’ve got a couple of major holes in it.”

He noted, “We’re going to do things as much as exactly the way it is as we can. We probably cannot get the exact same color of roof.”

Instead of the existing red, HAL is considering a terra-cotta substitute.

Board member and architect David Giusiana is consulting on the project. He said, “There’s not a lot that you actually see from the ground. So, to some degree, it not matching shingle looks not to be an issue.”

“I don’t have any concerns,” Frankovitch said. “I think it’s close enough. What you have found as a replacement, I really, honestly, have no concerns about that.”

Slaugenhoupt said, “We don't know what we’re going to find when we start to open up – it’s kind of an investigation. But I don’t think that anything on the exterior (will be drastically altered). When we’re all said and done, you’re going to know it’s the same building.”

Giusiana said, “We’re still not talking about changing the fascia, or soffit, or any of the siding that’s on the bell tower. It’s just purely the roof shingles.”

The HPC voted to grant HAL emergency approval to proceed with the process. Giusiana abstained.