The Cherokee Apartments

The Cherokee Apartments is a four-building residential complex in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Originally known as the Shively Sanitary Tenements, these apartments were constructed in 1911 by Henry Atterbury Smith as tenement housing for families affected by tuberculosis. The complex's historic and architectural significance led to its recognition as an individually designated New York City Landmark.

The design of The Cherokee Apartments incorporated large, multi-light, double- and triple-hung windows, strategically maximizing exposure to fresh air for the families dealing with tuberculosis. However, after 101 years of exposure to New York City's harsh climate, the windows had significantly deteriorated. To preserve this crucial feature of the building, our team embarked on a comprehensive restoration process involving over 1,200 deteriorated wood windows.

The restoration effort began with the careful sampling and mock-up installation of replacement windows. This allowed us to design custom wood windows that perfectly met both the functional and aesthetic requirements of the client and the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Our focus on attention to detail ensured that the new windows seamlessly blended with the historic architecture while providing the necessary durability and performance for many more years to come.