Aluminum Bi-Fold Doors for a Storefront in Buffalo, NY
PROJECT SCOPE
Type: Commercial Storefront
Location: 2505 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214
Project Type: Renovation
Window System: Vetrina Aluminum Bi-Fold Door
When a commercial space sits right on the street, the storefront has to do a lot at once – attract attention, bring in daylight, stay secure after hours, and hold up to real weather, especially if said storefront is in Upstate NY. Fortunately for our customers, Vetrina Windows can meet any set of specifications and requirements.
For the Frontier Glass project at 2505 Main St in Buffalo, NY, Vetrina Windows fenestration team designed, manufactured, and delivered a clean, modern solution: two large-format aluminum bi-fold door assemblies paired with fixed glazed panels above, creating a bright, flexible facade that works year-round.
Design Goal: Transparency, Flexibility, Durability, and Reliability
The result is a painted brick building with two large storefront openings, each framed in a matte black aluminum system. The fixed glazing band above each bi-fold increases daylight and visibility from the street, while the operable bi-folds below allow the business to open up the facade when the season and operations call for it.
In a place like Buffalo, that combination matters. You get the "open-air" experience during warmer months, but you also need a true commercial-grade enclosure when it is cold, windy, and snowy.
The System: Vetrina's Thermally-Broken Aluminum Bi-Fold Doors
The architectural specifications of the project required a concealed track, thermally broken sturdy aluminum frame and sash profiles, and bi-fold hardware that can withstand a high-traffic public space for years to come.
The concealed track design offered by our Bi-Fold systems helps maintain a clean, architectural look and supports a more refined threshold transition at the walking surface. Thermal break construction is critical for comfort and condensation control in cold climate applications and environments with wide temperature fluctuations. Our 6063-T5 aluminum offers strength, straightness, and long-term durability for large glazed panels that would be used repeatedly in commercial environments.
Configuration: 4-Sash Bi-Fold, Split 2/2
Each opening uses a 4-sash bi-fold door, split 2/2, meaning the panels fold into stacks that can be oriented to stack left or stack right depending on the operational plan.
Fabricated to 190" x 124 5/8", our Bi-Folds translate to a true "storefront-scale" feature: wide enough to feel like a facade element, tall enough to read as a commercial entry, and substantial enough to anchor the building’s street presence.
This is a practical configuration for storefronts because it provides the utmost flexibility:
Create a wide opening while keeping the stacks tight to one side
Control pedestrian flow (especially important on a sidewalk-facing elevation)
Ventilate and connect interior to exterior without committing to a fully open condition
Hardware flexibility is also built into the system with cylinder and handle options, including a thumb-turn cylinder (thumb inside, key outside) and flat handle options with or without cylinder. For commercial storefronts, that means you can balance day-to-day operation with after-hours security and access control.
A storefront like the one on this project requires a glass package that balances comfort and energy efficiency without sacrificing visibility. Our Bi-folds were outfitted robust 1 1/8" insulating glass units made up of 1/4" exterior clear glass with Solarban 60 low-E, 5/8" black aluminum spacers that create argon-filled air space, and 1/4" interior clear lites, with the low-E coating.
This configuration helps maintain a clear storefront appearance while improving thermal performance and comfort, and the black spacer detail complements the matte black framing for a cleaner, more unified look from the street.
The shop drawings emphasize performance-driven detailing at the sill and perimeter – especially important for a large operable opening in Buffalo’s climate. The system includes a dedicated threshold, bottom guide, and multiple sealing components such as brush and glazing gaskets.
Together, these details help manage air and water control at the most vulnerable interfaces, reducing drafts and supporting long-term durability in a street-facing commercial environment. Vetrina's Bi-fold doors are a strong fit for this type of storefront because they deliver real operational flexibility and reliance – the space can stay fully enclosed during cold or windy weather, open partially for ventilation, or fold wide to create a true indoor-outdoor experience when conditions are right.
In addition to transforming how customers engage with the space, the large glass area maintains daylight and visibility even when closed, while the matte black anodized aluminum and concealed-track approach keep the facade clean, modern, and cohesive from the sidewalk.
Contact Vetrina Windows for a free estimate for design and production of affordable aluminum folding and sliding doors for commercial and residential projects anywhere in the US. We locally manufacture Tilt & Turn, Casement, Sliding, Folding doors and windows, as well as other fenestration solutions such facades and curtain wall modules for any set of specifications.
