Congressman Reed Tours Hope’s Windows

CONGRESSMAN REED TOURS HOPE’S WINDOWS

The Post-Journal
Saturday, August 15, 2015

By Dennis Phillips

Watching custom crafted steel windows being produced is how U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, spent his Friday afternoon in Jamestown.

Reed toured and spoke to employees at Hope’s Windows, which is located at 84 Hopkins Ave., Jamestown. Hope’s Windows has been in the steel window production business since 1912.

Randy Manitta, Hope’s Windows chief executive officer and president, said the business has 230 employees. More than a third of those employees have been working at Hope’s for more than 15 years. He added one employee has been there for 62 years.

Because of their loyal workforce, Manitta said Hope’s is able to make custom quality windows for many different types of facilities. He said Hope’s products are in local buildings like the Robert H. Jackson Center and the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena. Their windows are also in several colleges, like Princeton and Cornell Universities, and in libraries, like the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas. Manitta said a lot of their work goes into state correctional facilities, like Attica, Sing Sing and Clinton correctional facilities.

“One thing that never changes … is the hand craftsmanship,” Manitta said.

Manitta showed Reed an original window from the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. This year, for the second year in a row, Hope’s received the Preservation Honor Award from the Historic Hawaii Foundation for a historic renovation project at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

Building nine at the shipyard was furnished with Hope’s One55 Series, which is a custom, handcrafted, solid hot-rolled steel window designed to meet anti-terrorism force protection standards. The product name, One55 Series, originated from a previous Pearl Harbor project, building 155. That project encompassed the installation of Hope’s windows and received a Preservation Honor Award from the same foundation in 2014.

Reed toured the four plants and the research and development facility at Hope’s Windows. During the tour and after, Reed spoke to employees. He said walking through the plants is mind boggling when it comes to the production of the custom made windows. He added the workers at the facility have a lot of skill, and he can tell they take pride in their work.

“It’s amazing what is happening in our own backyard,” he said.

Employees at Hope’s had an opportunity to ask Reed some questions. One employee asked if Reed could help with the benefits a family member receives from the Veterans Administration. Reed said he would look into the case for the employee. He said his office has handled more than 7,000 cases for veterans. He added they have a specific staffer whose only responsibility is to assist veterans.

Another question was about college tuition. The employee said that because she and her husband both work, their child doesn’t qualify for student loans. Reed said his office has been looking into several possible ideas to reform college tuition. He added possible reforms could come from lowering the salaries for administrators on college campuses. Also, allowing students after college to refinance their loans more than once to take advantage of lower interest rates is another possible reform.

Hope’s Windows is based in Jamestown and is the nation’s leading and most experienced manufacturer of custom designed, handcrafted hot-rolled solid steel and solid bronze window and door systems – specializing in historic preservation, cultural, institutional, commercial and luxury residential applications. For more information, visit hopeswindows.com.