Q: Why did the Museum install new windows along the Riverside Avenue facade?
A: Cummer staff has been busy this summer working with our friends at Elkins Constructors on a water intrusion project at the Museum. As you may know, The Cummer is celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2011. Unfortunately, it meant that all the windows in the original museum building were celebrating their 50th Anniversary too. Over the years, technology has certainly improved, so there are windows made now with better impact ratings to counteract hurricane damage, with better seals to prevent leaks, and with high energy efficiency glass. In recent years, the seals around the original windows were starting to show their age, and in some of our behind the scenes spaces we were experiencing some water intrusion due to these failing seals. We decided this year to upgrade the windows, fix the seals, and repair some of the plaster damage all at the same time. Careful observers may recall that the old windows had an operable pane at the bottom, necessitating a metal bar about one-quarter of the way up from the bottom. These had not been operable in a number of years, so the decision was made to replace the windows with a single pane of glass.
