Universal Window and Door provided windows for seven of the historic restoration projects honored with the 2015 Paul E. Tsongas Award by Preservation Massachusetts. The honorees were feted at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, at a dinner "celebrating the culmination of many years of hard work, investment, vision, and collaboration (to deliver) the completed and restored building," according to Preservation Massachusetts.
Universal supplied windows that allowed nearly a quarter of the 30 honorees to restore the historic character of the original buildings to their projects, including: Ames Shovel Works, a 19th century industrial complex consisting of seven granite buildings constructed between 1852 and 1885 that were converted into 113 apartments; Lowell Community Health Center in Lowell, which was transformed from a pair of late 18th century buildings into a 100,000 s/f medical facility; Washington Park in Roxbury, an eight-building, 96-unit apartment community originally constructed in 1928; The Rice Silk Mill Apartments in Pittsfield, built in 1874 and converted into 45 mixed-income units; 110 Canal St. of the Hamilton Canal District in Lowell, a former textile manufacturing plant built in 1920 and redeveloped into 55,000 s/f of office space; Ames Privilege Apartments in Chicopee, a former Civil War foundry that made swords and cannons that was converted into 134 apartment units; and the former Boston Printing Press Building & Boston Police Station No. 1 in Boston's North End, that were re-imagined as the 65,000 s/f North Bennett St. School.
"Being a part of so many projects that were recognized by Preservation Massachusetts is a tremendous source of pride for our employees as well as a testament to our growing reputation among developers and construction firms as the go-to window manufacturer for historic renovation projects," said Tony Muraco, president & CEO of Universal Window and Door.