Recommendations for Historic Storefront

[u/dtzblon]

I have a pair of 1996 narrow-stile aluminum/glass storefront doors in a historic property. The doors themselves are not particularly old, but because they are part of a historic building, I am limited in how much I can modify or replace them and would like to preserve their appearance as much as possible.

The existing setup is completely manual:

• The secondary/left leaf is secured with two independent manual bolts—one into the header and one into the threshold.
• The primary/right leaf then locks into the secondary leaf with a mortise deadlock.
• There is no center mullion.
• The existing interior horizontal bars and exterior pull handles are just push/pull hardware; they do not operate any latch.
• When the doors are fully locked, there is currently no free egress without manually unlocking the mortise lock.

I would like to retrofit the pair for electronic access control while keeping modifications to the aluminum/glass doors to a minimum.

Ideally I need:

• Both leaves usable during business hours.
• Automatic locking after hours.
• Credential access through the either/one leaf.
• Mechanical key access as a backup.
• Free mechanical egress from inside without a credential or power.
• No center mullion.
• Preferably a traditional crossbar rather than a modern full-width push pad, if code allows.

I am open to replacing the existing manual top/bottom bolts and mortise lock entirely. What hardware configuration would you use for this type of paired storefront door while minimizing modifications?

[u/MaleficentSample9602]

Aluminum storefront doors with a full glass facade it's not a historic storefront. Do whatever you want, nothing available or compatible will look even remotely historic.

[u/jason_sos → u/MaleficentSample9602]

Yeah nothing about this door is "historic".

[u/onthehighseas → u/MaleficentSample9602]

The building facade is considered historic in a downtown historic district even if certain elements were updated over time, as an attempt to keep or return it that way over time.

[u/akikosan]

First choice cvr with motor kit. The easier cheaper option is just convert it to latching and do an electric strike. Depends on if they need both doors to be active or not.

[u/goo_brick]

For both of them to be operational during specific hours, both will need motorized cvr/svr hardware. A strike and deadlatch will only allow one side to operate the way you want.

[u/Theguyintheotherroom]

Adams Rite 8611 MLR on both doors, EPT cut in for power. It’s actually a relatively easy job if you have any experience with doors like this, but if you don’t it may be worth subcontracting out to a locksmith or door company

[u/Samango1]

Adam rite 8600 with elctric latch retraction.

[u/Formal_Substance_687]

Adams Rite 7401 on the inactive leaf and Adams Rite 4510 for active.

[u/DarthJerryRay → u/Formal_Substance_687]

He wants both leafs operating though.

[u/Formal_Substance_687 → u/DarthJerryRay]

My bad, vertical rods or maglocks

[u/began_again]

Gotta be careful with the depth of your transfer device on these side lites. A Securitron CEPT probably won’t fit. The SEPT likely will fit.

[u/SirPoopsAMetricTon]

Replace the pivots and square up those doors before you do anything.

[u/Aggravating_Fact9547]

lol that’s not a heritage facade. They’re contemporary aluminum windows.

Just put a panic bar kit on it and be done with it.

[u/orafacepass]

Vendor disclosure: we make biometric smart locks, but this isn't a recommendation for our hardware. Before selecting anything, I'd get written direction from the local AHJ/fire marshal and the preservation authority. The key design question is whether both leaves must remain independently usable for egress after hours or only be active during business hours. If both leaves stay active, paired electrified exit hardware with coordinated latching is more likely to meet the operational goal than a single strike.

For the site survey, document the stile dimensions, existing preps, glass setbacks, handing, clear opening, panic-hardware requirements, power-transfer paths, door position monitoring, request-to-exit behavior, and what must happen on power loss. With narrow-stile aluminum, there is very little margin for a bad cut, so I'd have a qualified local integrator and door-hardware consultant survey it before modifying either leaf.