News

Portland Tower

Project Details

General Contractor:
RJM Construction

Architect: Oertel Architects

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Size: 400,000 SF

Services: Design-Assist, Fabrication, Installation

In 4-1/2 months, the Empirehouse glazing team completed the installation of 45,216 square feet of window wall and 3,662 square feet of terrace doors at the 17-story Portland Tower luxury condominium project in downtown Minneapolis, MN.

This downtown Minneapolis project was logistically challenged by its proximity to the new Viking Stadium in addition to the new Downtown East Commons Park, and other new commercial and apartment building work. All projects were under construction simultaneously with similar deadlines and within blocks of each other. Our glazing crew demonstrated tremendous teamwork by safely meeting aggressive schedules and site management challenges with no injuries.

Scope:

  • Aluminum window-wall assemblies and glazing set with a full-perimeter receptor system
  • Aluminum storefront assemblies glazed with insulated glass
  • Interior aluminum storefront assembly glazed with 1/4″ clear tempered glass
  • Wide stile doors, with automatic operators
  • Interior glass and glazing, consisting of 1/4″ clear tempered, 20-minute fire-rated wire glass, 45-minute fire-rated glass, and 90-minute fire-rated glass glazed into hollow metal frames and doors

Discover the Beauty of Partnership: Contact Empirehouse Today.

U of M Microbiology

Project Details

General Contractor:
Mortenson Construction

Architect: BWBR

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Services: Design-Assist, Fabrication, Installation

The University of Minnesota Microbiology Research Facility opened in January 2016 and includes labs and office space for the study of infectious diseases and to support the ¬development of new drugs and vaccines. The 80,000 sq. ft. facility is also home to the Department of Microbiology as well as other faculty from across the Academic Health Center.

Empirehouse was awarded the architectural glass and metal contract by Mortenson Construction to provide over 26,000 square feet of ultra-performance thermal composite and multi-sided structural glazed aluminum curtainwall, entrances, a skyway, decorative structural glass, and a glass railing system. The architectural glass selected includes a high visible light transmission gray tint with a high-performance low ‘e’ coating and argon gas-filled air space for improved u-value performance.

Scope:

  • Ultra-performance thermal composite and multi-sided structural glazed aluminum curtainwall
  • Entrances
  • Skyway
  • Decorative structural glass
  • Glass railing system

Discover the Beauty of Partnership: Contact Empirehouse Today.

Upsher-Smith Expansion

Project Details

General Contractor:
Ryan Companies

Location: Maple Grove, MN

Size: 260,000 SF

Services: Design-Assist, Fabrication, Installation

As part of an addition to a long-standing facility, Empirehouse was brought on to match modern construction materials with discontinued systems from the original building. With the original aluminum and glass products no longer available, Empirehouse leveraged its strong supplier relationships and deep technical expertise to identify compatible solutions that preserved the building’s aesthetic—without exceeding the project budget.

Through independent research and engineering adaptations, the team achieved a seamless match in appearance and performance, ensuring architectural continuity while meeting modern performance standards.

Scope:

  • Exterior Glazing Systems – 14,000+ SF total:

    • Custom-engineered faceted and monumental four-sided structural silicone glazed curtainwall systemsmimicking the original entrance design

    • Simple thermal aluminum ribbon window systems around the building’s perimeter

    • Standard captured aluminum pressure-wall systems to vertically segment office and warehouse façades

    • Custom lean-to skylight, 150 lineal feet long, spanning the common space roof, with an integrated louvered return wall for exhaust management

    Interior Glazing Systems:

    • Heavy-tempered monolithic glass walls with custom-polished aluminum flat-stock trim

    • Multiple fire-rated aluminum door and frame systems at key separation points

    • Decorative glass features throughout executive offices:

      • Magnetic glass markerboards

      • Electrically switchable translucent glass partition

      • Custom-molded and etched art glass installations

Discover the Beauty of Partnership: Contact Empirehouse Today.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Project Details

General Contractor:
Mortenson Construction

Architect: JDD Studio

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Services: Design-Assist, Fabrication, Installation

There are many unique glass features that make up the Westminster Presbyterian Church expansion project, such as a structurally glazed point-supported system with heavy tempered glass fins and glass units treated with a dichroic film application to simulate modern stained glass, a 30-foot wide by a seven-foot-high domed skylight, an over-sized sliding glass door systems, a folding glass wall system for sound control, and curtainwall with custom fly-by conditions. These specialized glass features involved a collaborative effort between many members from Empirehouse project management, fabrication, and field installation team who pooled their thoughts to develop a comprehensive installation plan and keep the project running on schedule. Empirehouse was able to use a variety of our team members to help to identify the client’s needs to ensure a timely release of material, so fabrication and installation could meet the demands of the schedule.

Scope:

  • Project scope and constructability review
  • Aesthetic selection and product integration
  • Structural engineering and detail development
  • Revit modeling design and VDC integration
  • Computer-simulated thermal modeling
  • 11,000 LF total area of windows

Discover the Beauty of Partnership: Contact Empirehouse Today.