Nearly 1,300 vinyl windows installed in Wheeling, Ill., luxury apartment project

QUEENS, N.Y., June 25, 2021 – National manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems supplied nearly 1,300 energy-efficient vinyl windows and sliding patio doors for a major new mixed-use development just outside Chicago.

Located at 500 West Dundee Road, in Wheeling, Ill., the new $90 million luxury multifamily and commercial property Uptown 500 is the latest development near the heart of Wheeling’s strategically planned transit-oriented center.

“With our strong manufacturing presence in Chicago, Crystal is well known in the metro area,” said Frank Ganninger, Crystal Regional Sales Manager. “Early in the project, the developer KR Developments reached out to us to discuss fenestration options for Uptown 500, and we invited the firm’s project managers to tour our production facility in Chicago. They were impressed with our quality manufacturing processes.”

Denk & Roche Builders of Bensenville, Ill, installed the Crystal windows at Uptown 500. John James Construction was the GC.

THERMAL EFFICIENCY FOR SEASONAL WEATHER CHANGES

Crystal worked closely with Uptown 500’s architect, BSB Design of Chicago, to ensure the windows would meet energy and performance specifications for the region. “Our Series 300 windows offer great thermal efficiency for both winter and summer weather in Illinois,” said Ganninger. “We were also able to recommend our two-tone finish to meet the design aesthetics for the exterior and interior.”

Once the approvals for Uptown 500 were in place and construction under way, general contractor John James Construction of Chicago brought in regional building envelope specialist Denk & Roche Builders of Bensenville, Ill, to install the windows and doors. Crystal sales representatives met with the installation teams on site to guide and expedite proper installation of the Crystal products.

The Uptown 500 project used Crystal Vinyl Series 300 single-hung and fixed picture windows as well as Crystal Vinyl Series 1500 sliding patio doors. The Crystal Vinyl Series 300 windows were both factory- and field-mulled in large configurations, with some openings as large as 72 inches wide x 84 inches tall, bringing nearly floor to ceiling daylight for the apartments.

Crystal windows were used both for nearly floor-to-ceiling treatment as well as clerestory effect. BSB Design was the architect.

In some cases, Series 300 fixed picture windows were mulled in ribbon configurations up high on the walls to provide a clerestory window effect. Crystal supplied 2-lite Vinyl Series 1500 sliding patio doors for access to balconies or ground floor patios; for select apartments, sliding doors were factory-mulled with side lites or transoms.

Series 300 vinyl windows are AAMA rated R-PG25/R-PG35 for the single-hung version and R-PG45 for the picture window. They feature strong frames and sashes with full fusion-welded corners, sloped sills, and integral nailing fins for new construction applications. The single-hung offers an easy-clean tilt-in sash and a full-width ergonomic lift rail for easy operation. The window’s ⅞-inch insulated glass unit uses Solarban 60 glass and argon gas filling, which adds to the window’s energy-efficient performance.

The Crystal Vinyl Series 1500 2-Lite Sliding Patio Door also features strong full fusion sashes and frame corners to deliver an AAMA SGD-R35/LC-PG35 rating. With tempered Solarban 60 coated glass and argon gas, the patio door’s dual-pane 1-inch insulated glass unit provides superior energy efficiency. The sliding patio door offers an integral nailing fin to speed and simplify installations, adjustable steel tandem rollers for easy operation, and a high glass-to-frame area ratio for great views.

To enhance the modern exterior architectural design while still providing the clean and bright interior white window look, all the Crystal windows and doors for the project were ordered with a two-tone finish. The window and door exteriors were finished in a dark brown color and the interiors were kept white.

Uptown 500 offers 321 studio, one-, and two-bedroom luxury apartments, with 12,000 sf of commercial retail space on the ground floor. The development is just a few blocks from the Metra rail line to Chicago and a block from Wheeling’s 100-acre Heritage Park nature and recreation center and the new Wheeling Town Center.

The Uptown 500 campus features several common work and recreation spaces throughout the building and outdoor property, along with private meeting, dining, and entertainment areas, heated outdoor pool, rooftop deck, fitness centers, concierge services, and onsite parking.

Uptown 500 offers 321 luxury apartments in a transit-oriented development near Metra commuter rail.

FOR MORE ABOUT CRYSTAL WINDOWS & DOOR SYSTEMS

Crystal Window & Door Systems is one of the top 30 manufacturers in North America of replacement and new construction vinyl and aluminum window and door products and high-end fenestration systems. Crystal offers a full product line, rapid order-to-delivery times, quality workmanship, innovative product features, outstanding value, and an experienced and knowledgeable staff. Headquartered in New York City, the company operates a national network of factories, branches, subsidiaries and affiliates in California, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

For further information, call 718-961-7300, or visit www.crystalwindows.com.