Milgard V450 Windows Deliver Performance at Solana at Duarte
Building a six-story, 292-unit apartment community is complicated enough. Building one next to a train station, near a busy Southern California freeway, adds another layer to the challenge.
For Solana at Duarte, a modern multifamily housing community in Duarte, California, R.D. Olson Construction needed windows that could meet demanding sound-performance (STC) requirements while satisfying the aesthetic, structural and Title 24 needs of a large-scale residential project.
V450 Series vinyl windows delivered the performance and support that exceeded project specifications and client expectations.
“We had eight different window vendors bid on this job, and we had four or five of them that were all at the same cost point for us,” said Randy Faith, Senior Project Manager of R.D. Olson Construction. “So the deciding factor to go with Milgard was really about the service and the relationship that I have with [Milgard Senior Sales Representative] Kathy [Steiert] and some of the other individuals on her team.”
Meeting Demanding Sound Mitigation and Acoustical Requirements
Designed by TCA Architects and developed by MBK Rental Living, Solana at Duarte features luxury apartment homes with unique amenities and outdoor gathering spaces designed around contemporary Southern California apartment living.
The project’s surroundings also placed demanding acoustical requirements on the building envelope.
“This particular building is right next to a train station. It’s also right next to the 210 freeway,” Faith said. “The noise, the exterior sound infiltration, was a big, big deal.”
Different sides of the building required different sound transmission class (STC) ratings, with some operable windows requiring an STC 35 rating. The V450 Series met the project’s performance needs while accommodating a mix of horizontal sliders, casements, and picture windows.
“It’s a really heavy-duty window, and the performance aspect of it was great,” Faith said. “The operable windows performed really, really well.”
Finding a Solution for Upper-Floor Maintenance
The height of the building presented another consideration. Windows on the upper floors needed to meet requirements for exterior building maintenance without introducing intrusive exterior-maintenance anchor points into apartment interiors.
R.D. Olson and the Milgard team worked through the options, using casements with washability hinges that allowed the exterior glass to be accessible from the inside. Ultimate Installz added aftermarket limiters.
“Our team worked closely with Randy to understand the project requirements, and evaluate the options needed to meet expectations,” says Milgard Senior Sales Representative Kathy Steiert. “The V450 gave us the right combination of structural and sound performance, washability, and design flexibility to recommend a solution.”
Steiert says the V450 was a critical part of winning the project. “Our extensive product catalog gives us the ability to meet even the most stringent project requirements. We strategized with Ganahl Lumber and Ultimate Installz to recommend a solution to RD Olson that really worked.”
Coordinating More Than 1,000 Windows
Selecting the right product was only part of the equation. Getting roughly 1,300 windows onto the construction site in the proper sequence created another logistical challenge.
Rather than completing one floor at a time, R.D. Olson progresses vertically around the building. Each delivery therefore required an assortment of windows corresponding to the areas crews would tackle next.
With the support of Ganahl Lumber, a Milgard Platinum Dealer, the teams coordinated production and deliveries around that sequence. “We were able to put that together and take a delivery of 80 windows every seven to 10 days and just feed the building,” Faith said.
Purchase orders allowed Faith to check incoming windows against project drawings, including window configurations and the STC ratings required for various elevations. “That whole process was really well orchestrated,” Faith said.
The experience reinforced R.D. Olson’s confidence in Milgard for large-scale multifamily projects.
“When we are collaborating with architects, we might get asked, ‘What window product do you think should be spec’d here?’ And we always recommend Milgard,” Faith said. “We didn’t think that a vinyl product would be applicable or able to meet the criteria for these big buildings, but that V450 product does.”
Project Information
Project: Solana at Duarte
Location: Duarte, California
Milgard Series Used: V450 Series
Window Styles: Horizontal Sliders, Casements, Picture Windows
Builder: R.D. Olson Construction
Architect: TCA Architects
Owner/Developer: MBK Rental Living
Dealer: Ganahl Lumber
Installer: Ultimate Installz
Photographer: Martin King
