PARTNER BUSINESSES IN NEWARK AND ASBURY PARK BRING FRESH VISION TO WINDOW AND DOOR APPLICATIONS

BY LINDSEY BLAIR • PHOTOS BY ROBERT NUZZIE

Fenestration literally means “the arrangement, proportioning, and design of windows and doors in a building.” Although that definition is simple enough, its brick and mortar realization is arguably the single most vital factor in whether a design works for a homeowner or not, and the knowledge and craftsmanship that goes into it can either produce works of art or enduring eyesores and depressed valuations.

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Located in a 1930s building in historic Asbury Park, Atlantic Architectural Millwork was founded in 2005 by Jay Harman, and has become a go to window and door design center, with featured lines that include Marvin Windows and Doors and JELD WEN Windows and Doors, large folding, and sliding door systems, and complementary millwork products.

In time, Atlantic partnered with Prince Lumber, based in New York City, to create Prince Window & Door, which now serves the NYC metro area and Northern New Jersey.

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“Atlantic and Prince have consistently assisted our customers in achieving their goals,” said Harman. “Whether it is a new construction, remodel, or renovation, we strive to provide the proper product for each environment and lifestyle.”

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With more than 30 years of collective experience, Atlantic and Prince have acquired a wide range of clientele, including homeowners, architects, builders, and interior designers. “Our role is to understand the needs of all of these categories of customer,” Harman said.

“Our approach is consultative; we never pressure to make a sale nor are we a commoditized environment that simply takes orders. We ask the appropriate questions for each project and help guide the decision maker to choose the most appropriate product.”

Up and coming residential architecture trends in the windows and doors realm, Harman explained, include larger expanses of glass and folding patio and panoramic doors that transition inside and outside spaces.“Expansive windows allow the greatest amount of natural light into the home, of course” he said. “But there are additional factors to consider. We always, for example, recommend with this design choice that the product be performance based one that will withstand the elements.”

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Inside to outside door options include sprawling folding and sliding patio designs.

“Our products can cover openings that reach as far as 50 feet in width,” Harman added. “Architects and builders desire the creation of inside outside spaces, but they need to with stand the sometimes harsh elements present along the Jersey Shore,” and pointed out that it’s one thing to fall in love with trendy products like these in a catalog, another entirely to rely solely on that source when making such an important investment.

“We recommend that architects, builders, and homeowners experience the products in showrooms,” he advised, pointing to a newly expanded, contemporary showroom: Studio Fenster und Türen, where more than 150 guests attended a grand opening where they examined products, networked, and exchanged ideas. This particular expansion of Atlantic Architectural Millwork added an additional 1,500 square feet to the showroom, while the building just east of it showcases modern, European building products from makers like Harman Fensterbau, Dana Doors, Pirnar Doors, Summit Automation, and Trespa in many instances items that cannot be seen anywhere else in the U.S. while the current Atlantic showroom features more traditional styles and projects.

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Atlantic and Prince have been ranked the leading Marvin Windows and Doors Residential Dealer in New Jersey since 2010, and wouldn’t, according to Harman, have it any other way.

“We have carried Marvin Windows and Doors since inception,” he said. “They both offer traditional design, long lasting quality, and outstanding performance, and they’re a staple among discerning homeowners, custom home builders and architects along the Jersey Shore.”

Members of the New Jersey AIA whose mission it is to help architects serve the public’s needs and which builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society as well as members of the Asbury Park Urban Enterprise Zone (which, among other benefits offers clients the ability to save 3.3% sales tax) Atlantic and Prince serve the local architect/builder community in a variety of ways.

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“We try to offer the latest product updates, samples for client review, and timely response for technical data, as well as regular AIA Continued Education Seminars in the architect’s office or in our facility,” said Harman. “The kind of support we give is not typically found at the lumberyard. We spend the time with the builder, their client, and the architect to select final product details and options. We are there from the inception to delivery.”

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So, where do the two businesses go from here? According to Harman, the goal is to grow market share in current trading areas while expanding into others where they can offer the level of support their current customers are accustomed to. “We will also continue to promote European high performance products for the most discerning customers…people who are concerned about quality, efficiency, and individualism.”

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Atlantic Architectural Millwork
913 Asbury Avenue, Asbury Park
732.988.9220 / aamwindows.com
Prince Window & Door
8 Avenue A, Newark / 877.436,2547
princewd.com