Transforming outdated storefronts into more visually appealing spaces is achievable through facade renovation with structural and systems upgrades.
Chicago is home to an endless array of historic facades. The city has no shortage of eye-catching monuments to the past, from limestone steps to charming masonry archways to intricately carved stonework. Like any vintage item, these facades require maintenance to survive and look their best.
Investing in renovating and restoring storefronts can boost property value and breathe new life into businesses. Maintaining and restoring facades, instead of tearing them down, not only reduces construction waste but also preserves the neighborhood’s unique character. The design trends from the original construction contribute to a sense of place, maintaining individuality in the community.
FACADE RESTORATION: BRINGING BUILDINGS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
If the eyes are the window to the soul, then a facade performs a similar role for a building’s look and feel. Whether the exterior is more rustic or stately, visually weighty or lighter-than-air, traditional or modern, the facade creates the first impression for every onlooker and entrant—particularly critical for business owners. As part of the building envelope, the facade also significantly impacts the structure’s energy efficiency. Restoring exterior details like lintels, parapets, cornices, and tiles combined with upgrading HVAC, insulation, and glazing can balance aesthetics with structural integrity.
To illustrate the facade renovation design process, we’ll discuss three completed projects | A mixed-use building on Chicago Avenue, Dollop Coffee in Ravenswood, and Logan Certified, the moss design studio.
SITE ASSESSMENT TO DETERMINE DESIGN DIRECTION
Before designing anything, we conduct a walk-through of the property to assess the building’s condition and surrounding environment. We then determine what is salvageable, what needs restoring, and what needs replacing. Next, we survey existing systems, masonry, glazing, windows, and architectural details for structural integrity and functionality. As part of our sustainable ethos, our goal is to preserve as much as possible, as long as it’s feasible and doesn’t detract from the project’s energy and resource efficiency.
Once the analysis is complete, we design a program based on our findings and our client’s goals. During the schematic design phase, we create concept sketches incorporating modern upgrades with renovations and replacements.
Pictured above and below is our Chicago Avenue project. Acting as realtors, we helped our clients find the perfect mixed-use building. The clients were looking for a “fixer-upper” that could be transformed into an apartment with commercial space below. As their architect and GC, we completely restored the facade and renovated the interior.
STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMS REPAIRS
Project I – West Town Mixed Use Renovation
After reviewing the schematic design options with our clients, we proceed with the renovation. At our Chicago Avenue residential project in West Town, we removed the existing roofing material (which concealed some significant structural damage) and replaced it with a reinforced steel lintel. We outfitted the storefront with a US Aluminum system, a high-performance thermal material that is very energy efficient. We upgraded the storefront windows with a double-glazed system and included operable windows for natural ventilation, and we also upgraded the entry door. For the apartment above, we installed modern grid windows, which are operable windows with decorative aluminum mullions, creating an eye-catching grid look.
We installed brand-new plumbing beneath the surface with a fresh concrete slab in the commercial space. In addition, a hyper-efficient electric service was tapped to connect with future solar panels, increasing energy efficiency and reducing operational costs.
For the second-floor remodel and rear addition for the apartment above, accessible entryways were built, allowing for loading and foot traffic during construction. In addition, the steel lintel above the existing windows needed to be replaced—it was bowing and wouldn’t have been able to support the new, oversized storefront glazing.
By coordinating with the local special service area (SSA), we secured funding for some of the renovations to preserve the neighborhood’s aesthetic. The restoration, tuckpointing, and a colorful, cheerful mural made the building more marketable. Our clients are excited about the transformation and pleased that they were able to lease the commercial space within just two months.
Project II – Logan Square Mixed Use Renovation
Serving the role of architect as developer for our Logan Certified home base, we renovated an abandoned grocery store, transforming it into a modern living/work compound. The project highlights our architecture studio with an interior courtyard, a commercial storefront, and a second floor residential rental unit.
We moved the main entrance to the studio’s north side, eliminating the former corner entry. Additionally, we installed an overhead door to illuminate and ventilate the space. New glazing was installed across the commercial section of the building, allowing light to penetrate every interior corner.
MASONRY + FACADE RENOVATIONS
Logan Certified utilized Chicago Common brick for the street-facing wall, crafted from locally sourced clay and fired in Chicago. With excellent thermal mass properties and a timeless appearance, we often try to repurpose bricks discovered on a building site. The bricks can be painted, stained, or left naturally to align with various design concepts. We salvaged and restored as many bricks as possible throughout the demo and construction phase. They are now getting a second life as the base for the courtyard pizza oven.
Applying paint serves as a shield for the brick against environmental factors. The paint pigment permeates the porous surface, creating a barrier that protects it from the elements. Maintenance is essential, with bricks needing tuckpointing and repainting every 3-5 years. Opting for staining is generally preferable as it enables moisture to evaporate through a more breathable coating. However, a key consideration is the initial condition of the brick, as staining may require multiple coats and expose inconsistencies in the surface.
At Dollop Coffee, we installed a pickup window for convenience. To accommodate additional glazing, we removed the previous windows and front door.
Occasionally, a more substantial transformation is necessary. In the case of the Chicago Avenue building, we addressed structural issues and the parapet by removing the face brick from the existing masonry. Next, we expanded the store window openings for increased daylighting. Additionally, we maintained the original brickwork patterns and reconstructed them in other areas, preserving the vintage storefront’s character.
We removed sheet metal paneling for Logan Certified’s facade and painted the cinderblocks a uniform black. And we painstakingly removed layers of putty to reveal and restore the original brickwork on the residence’s west side.
PARAPETS
Parapets rising above the roof line serve as decorative wall sections. They are typically crafted from materials like terra cotta – a fire and weather-resistant material. Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to the elements leads to structural deterioration, impacting the roof’s overall integrity. Our property assessment at Logan Certified revealed the need for tuckpointing and waterproofing on the parapets, which had become structurally compromised. The repairs restored the building’s structural soundness and preserved its inherent aesthetic charm.
GLAZING
Front doorway entrances can include additional facade glazing, allowing sunlight to penetrate deeply into an interior. At Dollop Cafe in Ravenswood, we included considerations for accessibility in the design, ensuring the outdated structure aligned with the current Chicago Building Code.
There are two basic types of windows: aluminum frame with glass (typically referred to as “Storefront”) windows, which you might see on the ground floor of a commercial building or a residential or commercial highrise, or wood-clad, which is a wood frame clad with aluminum on the exterior and exposed wood on the interior. The latter is more common in smaller buildings and single-family homes. Wood-clad can also include fiberglass, which is less expensive and is becoming more common.
On the west-facing commercial and residential sides of Logan Certified, we installed new sustainable low E-3 windows to manage the strong afternoon sunlight. Energy-efficient windows with high R values — and sometimes glass rooftops like at CoLaboratory — provide warmth to the workspace during the wintertime while keeping the aesthetic vibe light and bright.
We look for windows that the windows are “thermally broken,” meaning there is no conductive path for extreme temperatures to transfer from outside to inside, and the U-factor, which measures the amount of thermal energy that is allowed to pass through the glass. There is also typically a coating that is applied to the glass to increase efficiency. The terminology varies by manufacturer but could be labeled as “Low-E3” on a Marvin product, for example. The location of the building matters most here, as the U-factor will equalize with the climate zone to prevent condensation.
Beyond the environmental concerns, there are many variations in frame thickness, color, muntins (vertical dividers of glass) concerning the frame (more common in a storefront system), additional glazing (three glass panes versus dual glazed), and method of operation.
Restoring historic storefronts’ facades can require many bespoke decisions because the project is anything but cookie-cutter — in fact, it is the only one of its kind! Whether it’s brick maintenance or integrating new materials to support a delicate but aging exterior structurally, the investment is worth it to preserve personality and historic charm and make a lasting impression on whoever walks through its doors. Contact us to discuss facade maintenance, repair, or restoration on your storefront.
Stay tuned to our blog for more info on future projects and how we’re preserving Chicago history, one brick at a time!
