The site of 22 U.S. Presidential inaugural celebrations and much Washington, DC history, the iconic OMNI Shoreham Hotel recently was renovated with over 3,100 modern energy efficient Crystal Window & Door Systems products. The award-winning national manufacturer supplied the project with 3,016 replacement windows and 141 sliding glass and swing terrace doors. The OMNI Shoreham Hotel is a sprawling 8-story 92-year-old complex located just off Connecticut Avenue at 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC. The OMNI Shoreham Hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and as such, the Crystal products used for the renovation underwent an historic approval process.

“Bringing modern fenestration to an historic hotel like the OMNI Shoreham is a testament to Crystal’s robust energy efficient product line,” said Steve Chen, President of Crystal Windows.  “We’ve helped restore many historic and landmark buildings around the nation, but the OMNI Shoreham is by far one of the largest and grandest.  We are quite proud to have been part of the project.”

The majority of the Crystal windows used on the project were the aluminum Series 2100 fixed picture windows.  Most of these windows utilized an internal horizontal T-mullion within the window’s master frame and two insulated glass lites to replicate the appearance of the building’s original double-hung windows.  In some instances, windows were horizontally combined using mullions.  Also a small number of Crystal Series 2000A double-hung windows were installed in select locations.

Mainstays of the Crystal product line, the Series 2100 and 2000A are 3-¼” frame depth windows with AAMA structural ratings of CW-PG65 and CW-PG50, respectively.  The Crystal Series 2000A has tilt-in sashes, a sloped sill, an anti-drift head clip lock for added safety and a weather-tight seal, and sash opening limit stops.

In some very large and tall (up to 91”) opening locations, the more robust Crystal Series 5100 aluminum fixed picture window was specified.  This 3-¼” jamb window uses heavy-duty extrusions and achieves an AAMA AW-PG100 rating.

Providing guest room and public area access to the OMNI Shoreham Hotel’s distinctive balconies and terraces, Crystal supplied 141 of its aluminum frame Series 1240 sliding glass doors and Series 1450 out-swing terrace doors.  The 2-lite Series 1240 sliding door features a 4-⁹∕₁₆” jamb thermally-broken aluminum frame, 1” insulated glass units, quad tandem ball bearing rollers, and heavy-duty handles.  The door is rated LC-PG45/SGD-C40.

The heavy-duty Crystal Series 1450 terrace doors were specified in both the standard version and ADA compliant versions.  Also, many of the Crystal out-swing terrace doors were outfitted with compatible Series 2100 fixed glass sidelight windows.  The aluminum Crystal Series 1450 terrace door has a 3-¼” frame, 1” glazing pocket, and an outstanding AW-PG75 structural rating.  The Series 1450 also features a multi-point locking system and an advanced polyamide insulated strut thermal break system for greater energy efficiency.

For guest rooms set aside for those with disabilities and mobility challenges, the Crystal 1450D out-swing terrace door was specified.  This door’s independently-tested low ½” ADA-compliant threshold allows easy access, yet is weather-resistant and has a water-resistance rating of 10 psf.  One of the few elite swing terrace doors offering a certified laboratory water-tested ADA low sill, the door also achieves an excellent AW-PG50 structural rating.

Modern insulated glass units (IGUs) provided the Crystal windows and doors used for the OMNI Shoreham Hotel renovation project with superior energy efficiency.  Depending on the specific product, either ⅞” or 1” IGUs were used, and all dual-pane IGUs were specified with Vitro Solarban 60 low-E coated glass and Argon gas filling for enhanced thermal performance.  Where appropriate, or code required, obscured or tempered glass was used.

All the Crystal window and door products were finished in a durable AAMA 2604 sustainable bronze powder coat paint.  To facilitate installation, Crystal supplied a variety of H-mullions, head expanders, as well as anchor clip and snap trim accessories.

The Shoreham Hotel since 1983 has been owned and operated by the high-end OMNI Hotel and Resorts Group headquartered in Dallas, TX.  The fenestration contractor for the project was Caffes-Steel of Beltsville, MD.

Originally titled the Shoreham Hotel, the magnificent facility opened in the fall of 1930.  Using a combination of Renaissance Revival and Art Deco architectural design, the building has been termed DC’s “Grand Dame” hotel.  The OMNI Shoreham Hotel is situated on 11 acres of well-manicured landscaped grounds in the upscale tree-lined Woodley Park neighborhood.  Its numerous wings have 834 spacious guest rooms.

In its early years, the Shoreham Hotel served as an ultra-luxurious residential hotel to both DC and international elites.  During the 1950s, it transitioned into a high-end resort and convention hotel.  The hotel has hosted every US Presidential inaugural ball since Franklin Delano Roosevelt (except for Donald Trump, whose inaugural balls were held elsewhere in Washington, DC).  President Roosevelt had a special suite with enclosed balcony there and both Presidents Truman and Kennedy were considered hotel regulars.  Spanning the decades, notable celebrities who have performed in the ballroom or stayed at the hotel include Rudy Vallée, Bob Hope, the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and President Clinton, who played the saxophone at an event there.