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NeighborhoodNews
Meridian & Butler March
March Meridian & Butler
but he has assisted homeowners with other preservation projects
around their homes. His typical projects are homes that were
built before 1945. His goal is to preserve and restore the historical features that define a home and bring the beauty back into it.
“Today’s homes are not built with the same quality of materials
as the houses of the past,” Michael says. “And, these homes need
to be preserved.”
Meridian-Kessler
Entrepreneurs
Architectural Restoration, Inc.
Preserving Character
Michael Usher, Owner
Architectural Restoration, Inc.
(317)-722-1850
www.preservingthebeauty.com
Michael Usher is a craftsman, an artisan who takes great pride in
his work. He cares about the neighborhood and is passionate about
restoring and preserving the historic characteristics of homes in the
Meridian Kessler and Butler Tarkington neighborhoods.
Michael’s interest in restoration began after he and his wife,
Catherine, moved into their current house in Meridian Kessler
over 30 years ago. The home has been part of Catherine’s family for generations, and was built in 1927 by her grandfather.
After the Ushers moved in, they realized the house needed a lot
of work. Their home had been well taken care of, but years of
simple wear and tear had taken a toll. The couple began their
search to find local craftsman who could tackle multiple projects; however, it was difficult to find anyone who offered and
understood restoration opposed to remodeling.
Throughout the process of restoring their English Tudor home,
Michael realized there was a need for someone to offer restoration as well as additional services to make homes more energy
efficient. He found himself becoming more interested in the
projects around their home and gravitating toward learning the
skill sets to complete the work himself. His career path was
technical in nature, and he worked in construction in college,
but a career in historic restoration had never entered his mind
before moving into his own historical home.
After 20+ years in upper management, Michael decided to
transform his interest in restoration into his own business and
established Architectural Restoration, Inc. in 1998. Michael
says that his first projects were on his own home and these were
learning experiences where he taught himself. In addition,
Michael built relationships with key artisans around the country
who have shared their expertise and knowledge. On a driving
vacation to Maine, he met a craftsman in Portland where he
spent some time gaining new insights and advice on restoring windows. Having a passion for preservation, and a strong
desire to learn is how he got started in the restoration business.
“I was fortunate enough to build relationships with fellow artisans and mentors who were helpful and willing to answer my
questions and share their knowledge,” he recalls. He learned to
expect the unexpected and always has an A, B, and C plan along
with his multiple contacts he could call to discuss techniques,
solutions for whatever information he needed. Restoration is
not a “quick fix” and it takes knowledge, attention to detail and
patience to get the job done correctly.
Today Michael is the expert; now craftsman call him for advice.
His main focus is restoring and preserving windows and doors
Usher is a one-man show. He does all the work on his own and
often finds himself at the job site until late in the evening and
most weekends. Much of his work is in Meridian Kessler and
Butler Tarkington neighborhoods, so he does not have to travel
far from home. His business is becoming more widespread and
he has taken on projects in Irvington, Lockerbie, the Old North
Side and other areas around Indianapolis. His shop space is
located on 54th Street near the Monon. He not only has a
short commute to work but he also enjoys the multiple choices
of local restaurants for lunch, the convenience of shopping at
the local hardware store for quick purchases and running into
past customers and making contacts with new customers all
within his neighborhood. Michael is a big advocate of shopping
local and supporting Midtown. Architectural Restoration is not
structured as a 9-5 business and he often works until midnight
to get projects done, trying to meet deadlines. Most of his business is residential, but he has expanded to include restoration of
some of the beautiful older churches and buildings around town.
Facts about Restoring vs. Replacing Windows and Doors . . .
Proper restoration takes time and patience in order to undue
the years of damage caused by the weather and poor or incorrect maintenance performed on the home. The materials used
prior to the 40’s are far superior to what is used today. Density,
strength and endurance of wood in historic homes just cannot
currently be matched. Originally the wood used in older homes
came straight from trees that were 100 or more years old. The
time it took to grow the wood makes it richer in appearance,
more decay resistant, more stable and this valuable wood is no
longer available today.
There is a myth that original wood windows and doors are too
costly to repair and require extensive maintenance. What some
people do not know is original wood windows and doors can
last 75–100 years with proper maintenance and will continue
another 75–100 years if restored properly. Typically, newer
replacement windows and doors have a life expectancy of
between 15–25 years.
An additional treasure used in older windows is the wavy glass
that beautifully reflects light. Original windows have true divid-
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ed lights, where each pane is a separate piece of glass that was
set in hand-crafted wood frames. These elements give depth and
dimension to your windows.
Historic windows can be retained and upgraded to approach the
thermal efficiency of replacement windows. By adding storm
windows to single-pane glass, historic windows approximate the
energy ratings of double-glazed replacement windows. Exterior
storm windows have an added advantage in that they protect
the exterior of the window, lowering maintenance costs, and
extending the life of the window.
Original wood windows and doors are a valuable architectural
detail of your home, a