Hedwig House Facility Manager Mona Schmalz (left) and Capri Communities Senior Director of Real Estate Development Amy Schoenemann speak with a resident at the 14-unit senior residence on Humboldt Avenue. The building recently received 99 new windows as part of a $700,000-plus building upgrade project. (Photo by Larry Hanson)

A former convent on Milwaukee’s Lower East Side that was converted into affordable senior housing in 1985 recently replaced all 99 of its windows.

The improvement at Hedwig House, 1724 N. Humboldt Ave., means the 14 residents of the building will enjoy better energy efficiency and more ease of use.

The former St. Hedwig Parish convent, which until recently was owned by Three Holy Women Parish, was purchased by Chiara Affordable Housing Inc. and is managed by Capri Communities of Waukesha. It was originally built in 1922.

The historically accurate, energy-efficient windows are part of a larger series of building upgrades, which will cost more than $700,000.

“It was good news,” said Facility Manager Mona Schmalz, who has worked at Hedwig House for 20 years and manages several low-income housing locations for Capri Communities.

As a part of the Brady Street Historic District, the project was completed in compliance with the Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission.

To get approval for the project from the Historic Preservation Commission, Capri had to show how residents were taping plastic inside the windows to help maintain the heat.

“This renovation project shows commitment to extend the useful life of the building and preserve the affordability of these units over the long term,” said Capri Communities President and CEO Kristin Ferge. Capri manages Chiara’s 2,023 units.

Insulation Technologies, located on 25th Street south of Marquette University, did removal and installation of the windows at Hedwig House.

Frank DeJulio of Insulation Technologies said the project presented some unique challenges, necessitating multiple visits to measure and ensure they were staying within historic district parameters.

“We took precautions to contain the cold from the residents, (and) made sure to seal that opening when we were taking the (old) window out and putting the (new) window in,” DeJulio said.

The original windows were operated with a pulley and chain and had wooden frames. Over time, some of them had been painted over incorrectly, meaning residents couldn’t open or clean them. That was in addition to the heft of the frames, making them difficult to manage. Schmalz also said residents reported the old windows rattled, causing them to wake up in the middle of the night when there were strong gusts of wind.

“For the convenience of the residents, they are ecstatic,” Schmalz said.

“We all had issues (with the windows) of some sort or another,” one resident said.

In addition to the energy efficiency, Schmalz said they are much easier to operate for her residents, who range in age from 62 to 90 years old.

The installation of the windows took a few weeks in February, but it took 10 weeks of lead time to manufacture them because the 99 windows all had different measurements.

Schmalz said the rumor she heard is when the building was originally built, the windows were procured for free from building sites in Chicago.

“They are enamored of the windows,” Mona said of the reaction she has received from residents. “They love the way they look; they love the way they operate.”

The new windows come with security locks and have a weather shield. Schmalz said they are much easier to operate than using tools to try to pry open the old ones.

Most of the work was done from the outside of the three-story building and included lead abatement.