If you鈥檙e looking for examples of how American suburbs are transforming in the 21st century, look no further than Towson, Md. This Baltimore suburb鈥夆斺塻till a rural area just a century ago鈥夆斺塰as everything that 20- and 30-something residents want in a modern city, from downtown bike lanes to two large outdoor malls.
As a result, Towson鈥檚 population is slowly but steadily increasing after a period of decline in the 1970s and 鈥80s. To meet this demand, developers and rental companies have been at work for decades to build and renovate housing for both a growing population and the city鈥檚 thousands of college students鈥夆斺塨oth Towson University and Goucher College are located in town.
One of the rental properties that has recently gone through a renovation is Ruxton Towers, located just blocks from Towson University in the southern part of town. Built in 1968, the apartment complex replaced each of its windows in 2017 with MI windows.
鈥淚 love the MI windows,鈥 says Ruxton Towers Property Manager Jeff Dahne, who selected the windows for the replacement project. 鈥淐ompared to the aluminum windows that we had, there鈥檚 now a big difference. You come off the beltway on Route 83, and it looks like a new building.
鈥淭he old aluminum windows leaked air and water.鈥 Dahne continues. 鈥淭hey were single pane. These MI windows are more energy efficient.鈥濃ㄢ―ahne selected MI鈥檚听1685 double slider听for Ruxton Towers. A vinyl window that鈥檚 ENERGY STAR庐-qualified in all four U.S. climate zones, the 1685 is the perfect slider window for any renovation project. It offers superior style and handcrafted quality with features like beveled exterior edges and integral pull rails. Available in two- and three-lite configurations, the 1685 double-slider鈥檚 slim profile boasts large viewing areas, clean, continuous lines, and an unobstructed outlook.
What鈥檚 more, the 1685 is a physically solid product whose glass design decreases outside noise. This was an especially important consideration for Ruxton Towers, as it鈥檚 located along a busy highway.
鈥淭he 1685 not only offers energy savings, it鈥檚 sound deadening,鈥 says Steve Rehman, MI sales representative with Twenty-Four Seven Sales. 鈥淚t is a higher-performing STC (sound transmission class) window that makes the noise-comfort level in the apartments more livable.鈥
In his conversations with residents and prospective residents at Ruxton Towers, Dahne has discovered just how well the 1685 blocks noise.
鈥淲e had a lady complain that she doesn鈥檛 like the windows because she doesn鈥檛 know when it鈥檚 windy outside,鈥 he says with a laugh. 鈥淭he old windows leaked and the owners knew when it was windy outside. People are used to the highway noise. (But here), there鈥檚 no noise now. A lady was here looking at an apartment a few weeks ago. She said it was too close to the highway. Then she walked into the apartment and said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 hear anything.鈥欌
When it came time to pick a color for the windows, Dahne kept with current trends in the construction and fenestration industries by eschewing a white exterior and choosing almond instead.
鈥淭he almond color is more of a blend into the building so that the frame doesn鈥檛 jump out at you like a mill finish or a bronze finish would,鈥 Rehman says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more of a neutral color for the building.鈥
Put it all together, and the 1685 with the extruded almond exterior perfectly complements this fashionable apartment building. Ruxton Towers features tennis courts, a swimming pool, and shared business space for residents; it鈥檚 also located in one of the nicer areas of Towson.听