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I have a Brownstone in Brooklyn, it is already a 2 family house, but I would like to make the basement into a 3rd apartment. I know that the certificate of occupancy for the house says two family, but I have seen other houses that are the same configuration as mine that have the basement as a separate apartment, and that is what I would like to do.

I would also like to clarify that when I say basement apartment, it is the bottom floor in the house, but it is not underground. The basement in this house is maybe two feet below street level, it has its own door in the back and the front of the house, and it also has windows in the front that are normal size, that look out onto the street.

I am mostly concerned about the legality of making this work. I am not too concerned about the appearance the actual apartment itself, because I will be the one living in it. I realize I will have to put in a small bathroom and a kitchen, but I was curious to know how what are the roadblock I might face, and much it would cost to legally make this apartment a viable living space for me?