A happy union.

There's an old saying, "You can't please everyone." That rings particularly true during a renovation project. Input comes from all sides: the architect, the owners, the preservation group, the building inspectors and the general contractor. Yet the custom-designed elevator lobby doors for an office complex in Philadelphia satisfied just such a diverse group.

There are actually three structures that make up the complex - one built in 1911, one in the 1930s and one in the early 1970s. In addition to the wear and the tear of time and the elements, one of the buildings suffered a fire in 1989. While the other two buildings did not burn, they sustained smoke and water damage. The owners turned to two Philadelphia-based firms for the restoration of the structures: The Kling-Lindquist

Partnership Inc., architects/engineers, and Turner Construction Company, construction managers.

The restoration was primarily internal. While some structural work as per formed, the focus was on upgrading the aesthetics and upgrading the facilities with new fire alarms, heating the air conditioning, etc. Part of the overall objective was to create some continuity between the three buildings.

Selecting elevator lobby doors might ordinarily have been a simple task. However, several factors made the openings in this particular project a little more difficult to fill.

One unusual challenge was the buildings were placed on the historic registry. As such, the restriction work being done had to stay within certain parameters. The Architect's modernizations would have to be in keeping with the original design.

A second consideration was also apparent. When the structures were first built, the lobby doors were not required to have a fire rating. The replacement doors, on the other hand, would face stringent fire ratings.

All parties involved had their own concerns about creating the final design. Aesthetically speaking, the doors had to match the corporate image of the buildings. Practically speaking, the doors needed to be built and installed cost effectively and on time. And finally, the doors had to meet tough code requirements to satisfy inspection officials.

Before renovation, the door had been aluminum and wire glass. Such a look would not suit the character of the restored buildings. So the owners, construction managers and architect sat down to design a door that would meet the demands from all sides.

After considering several alternatives and making numerous revisions, they arrived at the final design. The doors are 3'6" wide, 7' tall and 1-3/4" thick. Extra width was desired to accommodate tenant move-ins and to best utilize existing openings in the marble.

The doors were required to have an Underwriters Laboratories "C" label upon delivery and were therefore constructed with composite core. The wood veneer was specified to be Honduras mahogany finished with stain and tung oil. Two 11-3/4" x 67" glass inserts extend the length of the doors. To achieve the appropriate level of sophistication and style, the architects specified brass hardware for the hinges and levers.

Originally, the owners had a full lite door in mind.Due to the fire-rated status of the door, the glass size had to be somewhat more limited. The two-lite design preserved the basic original concept, ensuring that people entering or exiting the lobby would have clear visibility to see if someone was on the other side of the door. The glass also gave the lobbies a more open feel than sold doors could provide.

However, Choosing to use a door with glazing created additional challenges. The owners did not want to use wire glass, the most common fire-rated glazing material. In fact, since the buildings were being placed on the historic registry, it was nuclear if wire glass would even be acceptable as an appropriate material to use in restoration. The owners preferred not to remove the glazing and have the solid door, and the complete redesign of the lobby was unacceptable to the National Parks Service.

An alternative material was needed that would maintain the historic appearance without compromising fire safety. After some investigation, the architect discovered a product that could deliver the required fire rating and be used with standard fire-rated glazing stops: a clear, wireless glazing material called FireLite.

Since the product is actually an advanced glass ceramic, it can withstand much higher temperatures than a ordinary glass. It is listed with UL and Warnock Hersey International and carries a 60-minute fire rating in sizes to 3,325 square inches (when approved by local jurisdictions).

Philadelphia inspection officials were satisfied. Since it resembles ordinary window glass and contains no wires, FireLite also satisfied the aesthetic requirements of the building owners.

Once the obstacle of finding an approved glazing material was overcome, plans could move quickly ahead. The finalized design was handed to Lumco Industries, a Philadelphia-based door manufacturer.

The project was highly detailed, posing numerous challenges for Lumco. For example, to maintain security, the owners wanted the doors equipped with automatic closing devices and card key openers. Because of this, each door had to be bored for a wire chase to run up and around the top half of the door. Special mortise locks required additional boring, as did the glass inserts. Mahogany surrounds with raised moulding also had to be frame the doors. All these requirements had to be satisfied without compromising the doors' fire rating.

Such exacting work could not be rushed. Work on the doors began in February 1991, and the last of the 46 doors was delivered in October. The doors were finished by Buttonwood Company Inc., another Philadelphia firm. C.H. Shoemaker and Sons Inc. (also of Philadelphia) carried out the final assembly of the doors, inserting the fire-rated glazing on site and installing the finished product in each of the lobbies.

In settings where doors must meet a wide range of standards for appearance and performance, it can be difficult to find a suitable prefabricated product. While the process of creating a high volume of custom doors may be more lengthy and involved, the results can be well worth it.

So far, everyone involved with this Philadelphia office complex project seems to agree.