The rebuilding continues apace in Point Pleasant Beach more than five years after Hurricane Sandy hit. This little beach town along the central coast of New Jersey was ravaged by that infamous storm. But the land is too perfect to be abandoned, and the residents got right to work rebuilding their community.
Lombardi Residential, based in nearby Brick, New Jersey, has been at the forefront of the renovation. The company, which builds rental units as well as new single-family and multifamily projects, designed and built a large single-family home along River Road. The two-story house is adorned with white trim and black windows manufactured by MI Windows and Doors.
“With black windows, it’s very easy to match anything white or grey,” says Robert J. Lombardi, the lead architect at Lombardi Residential and designer of the home. “It’s very easy to do a ton of color palettes with all the different shades of whites and greys. And you know that it will always match.”
The home is a four bedroom, single-family unit. Construction began in late 2016 and was completed the following year.
When it came time to select the windows for the job, Allied Building Products in Wall, New Jersey, went with MI’s 1650 Series vinyl windows with painted exteriors. Black was selected because it goes so well with white and because darker-color windows have become an extremely popular option.
“White windows have been popular for so long,” Lombardi says. “Eventually, after so many years, people start looking for some kind of change. Social media has played a big part in it; it’s all over Instagram. Even TV, with those redesign shows. I’m sure it started small, and now everybody has seen those photos. And now everybody wants it for themselves.”
According to MI’s Director of Marketing, Anthony Matter, black and other darker colors are definitely a popular design trend at the moment.
“With the current interest in color varieties in vinyl windows, color technologies are expected to advance and grow exponentially for years to come, with more customization and economic pricing,” Matter says. “In fact, industry analysts predict that more than 16 percent of all window sales will feature an alternate exterior color by the end of 2019.”
The 1650 double-hung window boasts eight exterior painted color options. As MI’s most popular renovation window, the 1650 also offers superior styling, handcrafted quality, and exceptional long-term performance. Features like beveled sashes and grid options integrate well with energy-efficient options such as insulated dual-pane glass and heavy-duty weatherstripping. With two moving sashes that tilt in for easy cleaning and a warm-edge spacer system, the 1650 offers convenience, style, and energy efficiency.
To complement the double-hung window on the project, Lombardi Renovation chose MI’s 1650 picture window and 1615/1617 sliding-glass door. Featuring beveled exterior edges and a welded vinyl mainframe, the 1650 picture window is available in numerous shapes and sizes. And the 1615/1617 patio door comes standard with double-pane glass and is available in configurations up to 16-feet wide, enhancing the views and encouraging simple access to outdoor living spaces.
These high-quality vinyl windows with the black exterior give off a fresh look in a town that’s been rebuilding for some time. Although the population of Point Pleasant Beach is still slightly below that of the town’s peak before Sandy hit, the reconstruction of the region continues on. According to Lombardi, the combination of the town’s charms and its proximity to New York City — just 90 minutes to drive, and easy to access via train — helps explain why people are choosing to rebuild rather than relocate.
“It’s one of the most popular beach towns in New Jersey,” he says. “It’s kind of quaint. The houses aren’t mansions, but they’re not bungalows either. It’s a very comfortable town to live in. You’re surrounded by water on two sides. There’s a boardwalk, there’s a downtown. It really offers a lot.”
And now it offers a spacious white rental home with MI’s stylish black exterior windows.
“The black matches everything so well, it brings out the character of the house,” says John Bott, MI’s salesperson for the project. “If you look at the house, you can really tell the workmanship all around the house. It brought out all the moldings around the windows. It looks great. And that’s what everybody’s going for: colors. When people see it, they love it.”
