Curtain Wall and Glass Facade Installation in New York City

Commercial buildings across New York City depend on curtain wall and glass facade systems to handle wind load, thermal movement, and weatherproofing across multiple floors. Liberty Door Supply supplies and installs these systems for property managers, general contractors, building owners, and retail operators throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. If your project involves a glass exterior that rises above the ground floor or wraps a building in a continuous glazed skin, this is the work we do.

What does curtain wall and glass facade installation actually cover?

Curtain wall is a non-structural exterior cladding system. It carries its own weight and transfers wind and thermal loads back to the building frame without contributing to the structure itself. That distinction matters for engineering, permitting, and long-term performance.

Liberty Door Supply works with the following system types on commercial projects across the five boroughs:

• Stick-built curtain wall - field-assembled aluminum framing with captured or structural silicone glazing, well suited for mid-rise buildings and retrofit projects in Brooklyn and Queens where staging is tight
• Unitized curtain wall - factory-fabricated panels shipped to site and stacked floor to floor, commonly specified on new construction towers in Manhattan and the Bronx where speed of enclosure matters
• Sloped and radius glazing - custom aluminum framing for canopies, atriums, and angled facade conditions found in mixed-use and hospitality projects citywide
• Structural silicone glazing (SSG) - flush exterior surfaces with no visible aluminum caps, used on contemporary retail and office facades
• Spandrel and vision glass assemblies - combinations of transparent vision glass and opaque spandrel panels to manage sightlines and thermal zones at floor lines

We also install complementary exterior elements including aluminum composite panel (ACP) infills, aluminum sunshades and fins, and aluminum coping and trim that complete the facade envelope.

Which curtain wall and glazing systems does Liberty Door Supply work with?

System selection depends on the building type, design intent, thermal performance targets, and NYC DOB code requirements. We fabricate and install using proven commercial product lines.

For stick-built curtain wall, we work with Kawneer 1600 Wall System and YKK AP ThermalFrame 670 XT, both of which carry strong thermal break performance and are well documented for DOB submissions in New York City. For projects requiring structural silicone glazing, the Kawneer 1600 SSG and Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope Reliant series are among the systems we specify and fabricate.

Glass specifications depend on project requirements. We source insulated glass units (IGUs) with low-E coatings, laminated safety glass, tempered glass, and bird-friendly fritted glass for projects near protected flight paths or parks. All glazing meets New York City Building Code Section 2406 requirements for safety glazing in hazardous locations. For projects pursuing LEED or energy code compliance under the NYC Energy Conservation Code, we coordinate on U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) targets before fabrication begins.

Hardware at the curtain wall level includes aluminum pressure plates, setting blocks, weep systems, and thermal isolators. These are not afterthoughts. They are fabricated into the system and determine long-term air and water performance.

Why hire Liberty Door Supply for curtain wall work in New York City?

New York City curtain wall projects carry specific demands that general glazing contractors outside the five boroughs are not set up to handle. Zoning envelopes, Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) review in historic districts, Local Law 11 facade inspection coordination, and DOB TR1 special inspection requirements for curtain wall anchors all require familiarity with how New York City projects actually run.

Our fabrication and field crews work across all five boroughs. We understand the difference between staging a curtain wall replacement on a Staten Island warehouse with open site access versus working on a Manhattan high street retail facade where sidewalk bridging, NYPD coordination, and constrained lift positioning are part of every day. We pull the right permits, produce shop drawings, and execute clean welds and tight aluminum joints that hold up in a city where wind exposure and water infiltration put every detail to the test.

We also handle adjacent scopes that curtain wall projects often require: ground-floor aluminum storefront framing below the curtain wall, ADA-compliant automatic entry systems at grade, commercial door hardware including heavy-duty closers and panic exit devices, and rolling security gates where the ground-floor retail program calls for them. That coordination keeps your project moving without gaps between trades.

To discuss your facade project or request a site visit anywhere in New York City, call Liberty Door Supply at (347) 928-7349.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a curtain wall installation take on a typical NYC commercial building?

Project timelines vary by floor count, system type, and site access. A single-story retail facade can be completed in days. A multi-story unitized curtain wall project on a Manhattan or Brooklyn mid-rise typically runs several weeks, factoring in DOB permit approvals, shop drawing sign-off, and phased glazing.

Do curtain wall systems need NYC DOB permits?

Yes. Any new curtain wall or exterior facade installation in New York City requires DOB filing, and most projects require a licensed PE or RA to stamp drawings. Liberty Door Supply works within that process and coordinates with your project team on submittals.

What is the difference between a curtain wall and a storefront system?

A storefront system is a ground-floor, non-load-bearing aluminum and glass assembly anchored to the building slab. A curtain wall spans multiple floors and hangs off the building structure, handling wind load and thermal movement independently. Curtain wall systems are engineered for taller and more exposed facades.