Masonry Magazine May 1972 Page. 30
Glass block paneled windows lend a handsome appearance to the exterior of the John Dickinson Schneider building in Chicago. The blocks, made by Pittsburgh Corning Corp., have virtually eliminated window maintenance costs for the printing firm. That little "shack" in the background is "Big John," the recently completed 100-story John Hancock Building.
Glass Block Lends Beauty, Utility to Printing Firm
Give us a window material that is totally airtight, requires little or no maintenance, and resists attacks by vandals. This was the request delivered by officials of John Dickinson Schneider, Inc., Chicago, to Chicago contractor Fred Beyer Company.
A tall order? Maybe. But Beyer was able to fill it with a material-glass block-made by Pittsburgh Corning Corporation of Pittsburgh. "Because we're a printing firm, airtightness of our building is vital," said Oliver J. Kendall, Schneider vice president and general manager. "The wooden sash windows used on the west and south elevations of our building were allowing damp air in during the summer and dry air in during the winter."
Kendall explained that damp air upsets the delicate moisture balance in the offset printing operation. When the ambient air is too moist, the ink won't lay-on properly. On the other hand, when the air is too dry, static electricity causes corners of the paper to curl up, resulting in poor press production. "Since the glass block was installed in May, 1971," said Kendall, "there has been no problem with offset printing production."
He cited additional advantages: window maintenance, which once cost about $3,000 per year, has almost ceased. No repairing of window frames is needed. Furthermore, the windows, which had to be washed every month, are no longer washed at all, except for inset single glazed panels, cleaned monthly on the inside surface only. "Vandalism was quite a problem too," Kendall pointed out. "We had a few windows broken every couple of months. But it looks as though the glass blocks are practically indestructible."
Pittsburgh Corning glass blocks, 140 per window opening, were installed at the rate of three window openings per day on each of the Schneider building's four floors. In the center of the glass block panel a 2½ by 8-foot single glazed openable window was installed. This was done to comply with a city statute calling for provision of openable windows.
Glass blocks replaced 36 old windows. Windows on the north and east elevations equipped with steel sashes when the Chicago elevated railway was erected were not replaced. Eventually, they also will be replaced with glass block.
The glass blocks employed were Essex Suntrol. This product diffuses light and spreads it uniformly throughout a (Continued on page 33)
Glass block windows installed at the John Dickinson Schneider plant allow a much greater amount of light to enter the interior than did the old wooden sash windows. Adequate light is especially important in the press room, shown here.
masonry
May, 1972