blowing out rear wall in historic district.
We have a dark and narrow rowhouse in an historic district. My husband longs to blow out entire rear wall and install glass windows on at least the first level and hopefully all levels. He wants something more modern and clean that attached picture — that’s just to give you an idea. Anyway, what are…
We have a dark and narrow rowhouse in an historic district. My husband longs to blow out entire rear wall and install glass windows on at least the first level and hopefully all levels. He wants something more modern and clean that attached picture — that’s just to give you an idea.
Anyway, what are the chances we’d get permission? And would it cost more than, say, 30k per floor to take out all the masonry and build these in?
And how likely is it that entire 100 year old building will collapse or something (my fear)?
Thanks for all the comments.
Yeah, I know the picture is super mcmansion-y, just wanted to make sure people knew what I meant by replacing the entire wall. My husband wants something Dwell-ish. I just don’t want the whole place to crumble into a pile of bricks.
I would, of course, file in all the proper ways. I’m not the outlaw type. That’s why I asked if we spend the 5k+ (10K?) to get plans drawn up by architects and engineers and filed how likely it was to get approved. I saw it done all the time in london and they have strict rules too, but I don’t know Brooklyn all that well.
There is a pretty deep garden in the back (which backs into another garden), so the first couple of floors would mostly have a view of that and the garden wall. And we’d need curtains.
I’m also wondering bcs we’d be the first in the block with anything new like this. No other 1970 additions or bump outs. Worry that the Landmarks people would like to keep the continuity.
My friends did this in Manhattan and it doesn’t feel fishbowl. But they didn’t open up all the floors, they just put big windows across the wall on each floor. So it still feels private enough and yet lets in a lot of nice light. Looks great from the backyard too. I think the suburban house photo the OP posted looks fishbowl because suburban subdivisions don’t believe in planting trees! Ha. But it’s true, right? Most houses in Brooklyn have pretty big trees in back.
There are some houses on our landmarked blocks that did this. Just check into it with LPC and see. There are probably guidelines to know about.
It would be awesome from the light perspective but wouldn’t it be living in a fishbowl with your neighbors peering in?
Perhaps Manhattan is different. I am not sure. I live on a landmark block. The neighbors two houses up tried to do this on the DL and got totally busted. The back of their house is a total mess and they ticked of the DoB and can’t get any work approved, even to change it back. That was like a year ago. The framing is up and ivy is growing through it. Terrible.
I am doing a glass wall in the back of mine (its a 16′ wide and 120 years old). You need an architect and a structural engineer and you need to file. I can’t give you a price because its all melded together with all the other work that is being done with the house. However, the glass and steel alone is 15,000.00.
It is pricey but it changes the light and flow of the floor and gives you more “space”.
Good Luck.
Permits and architects are for wussies. Just go to Home Depot and DIY it over a couple of weekends.
You should also take a cue from the interior design in the pic you included, which looks like a “Great Room” in a suburban Denver McMansion.
We knocked down our back wall and installed Pella sliding glass doors and windows, knocked down all the walls AND raised the ceiling in the back section so we could add transoms — and the house is still standing. We worked very closely with an architect and engineer to make sure everything was sound. We love it. Our garden level feels like a loft.
V.
Love that view – what street is that, Montgomery Place looking into Prospect Park? Park Slope RULES.
11:12 SAID – Rule of thumb, if you cant see it from the street, it doesnt exist.
Thats a Bad rule of thumb.
File the job. If you have an irate neighbor or the block association calls you in, you’re in trouble. In a landmarked district, the block association will be on top of you.
Landmarks – a rear does matter. After you submit your plans to them for your work, they will come out there and make sure that there is nothing historical about the rear elevation. Historic brick pattern, etc. Most likely, they’ll approve just about anything in the rear.
Get an archtict involved, it’s more that what you think. You’ll probably need a structural engineer also, cause there are probably a beam along that back wall.
Good luck.
They do this in Manhattan townhouses all the time. Good luck.