Do I really need a permit for a new door?
I just bought in a landmarked area (Crown Heights North) and want to replace the door, which is basically plywood and looks terrible. My wife called the landmarks people or whoever in the city and learned it was a six week process, lots of paperwork, approvals, etc. Is it a good idea just to buy…
I just bought in a landmarked area (Crown Heights North) and want to replace the door, which is basically plywood and looks terrible. My wife called the landmarks people or whoever in the city and learned it was a six week process, lots of paperwork, approvals, etc. Is it a good idea just to buy a new tasteful door, in keeping with the other doors on the block, and avoid the whole permit process? What have others done?
Also, where is a good place to look for doors, online or in Brooklyn? Thanks
If you are just replacing the door it is advisable to get the landmarks permit- it won’t cost you anything now, perhaps an hour of your time to snap a few photos and fill out a simple form. However, if you incur a violation on your building- you will have to correct it before DOB will issue you a permit for work, which you may need down the road.
Landmarks tells you six weeks but it depends which day you submit paperwork. I have had it go through in less than two.
Just get one made; find a nice original in the neighborhood and get Omar or Tamer and Tamer to reproduce it and install it. Forget Landmarks. With Landmarks it is better to get forgiveness than permission. Take any landmarked block and look at the crap on the block and you can see what the historic property police have NOT done. I reproduced the falling apart originals on my building without approval from Landmarks Nobody bothered me. I think the more you get these people involved, the worse off you are. Just make sure you are friends with the people on the block. Ratting on one another with 311 and landmarks is a nasty but favored way to be mean.
should have just bought the new door. no one would have noticed.
If you are doing something historically accurate, then you should have no problem getting it approved. Six weeks should not be a problem for you if you are actually doing the right thing. If you need a temporary fix for the cold/security, but a cheap wood door for the interim. But if you are replacing brownstone/rowhouse doors, its a bigger project that affects the external facade and will need to be approved by landmarks.
Welcome to the neighborhood. I have zero experience with landmarking but you may want to call some of the local door/window companies and see if they have worked with the landmark committe before. They may be able to tell you which ones are allowed for your area…
To risk a heavy fine on a year-long facade job seems ridiculous. A historically appropriate door installation – well its illegal, but really depends on how much risk the OP wants to take.
If you don’t think that anyone will object- than do it. My neighbor did a year long facade job on a high profile home in a landmarked district without getting approval (he didn’t request it either). Not a soul said a word. I’m sure that everyone thought that he had it.