pre-landmarking renovations?
our neighborhood might be landmarked soon. i’m generally in support of landmarking. and while we don’t have much money and aren’t considering any major renovations…we’re wondering if anyone has any advice about simple (perhaps inevitable) projects to consider doing prior to landmarking? before you all go nuts on me, let me say that we have…
our neighborhood might be landmarked soon. i’m generally in support of landmarking. and while we don’t have much money and aren’t considering any major renovations…we’re wondering if anyone has any advice about simple (perhaps inevitable) projects to consider doing prior to landmarking? before you all go nuts on me, let me say that we have no desire to change the exterior appearance of the home, but we’ve thought about, for example, replacing the windows or the gate or undoing some bad fixes made by prior owners. we’d like to do this in a way that enhances the historical appearance, but would also like to avoid unnecessary expense.
we’ve heard that even these kind of simple projects can be made much more expensive and time-consuming because of the approval process. is this true? and if so, what might you recommend we consider doing now, rather than post-landmarking? (i am not overly concerned with a few weeks or a few dollars, but months and thousands would be distressing.)
Putnam – no difference between individual and district in this case. Both get calendared, and once you are calendared you under LPC jurisdiction. For Prospect Heights, it sounds like they are meeting with residents, and have not calendared. The first public hearing will be to calendar the district, then there will be a larger & more in depth designation hearing with public testimony, followed by an actual designation.
2:06 – if you have a DOB permit, that work is generally grandfathered.
thanks everyone. we are not calendared, so no issue there. it sounds like the consensus is do it now. any work wouldn’t be major, so it definitely would be annoying paying for drawings…
12:51 here (apologies for the double post).
I don’t know the answer regarding landmarking approval for projects that already have DOB permits. But I suspect you would need LPC approval because, no surprise, they are aware that developers try to push through plans in areas where landmarking is about to take effect.
There is no firm date for landmarking in Prospect Heights. There are still several more stages of the process remaining. After the forum on April 9, there will be a public hearing. Also the City Council has to vote on the proposal and they may also choose to increase or decrease the proposed designated area. The earliest this is likely to happen is Fall 2008.
12:51/12:54 Will projects that already have DOB permits, but are still incomplete at time of landmarking have to get LPC approval?
I checked the site you listed (quickly) and didn’t see a date that landmarking is expected to go through. Is there one?
my contractor visibly blanched when I mentioned replacing the windows in my landmarked house, so, I’m guessing those?
Are you in Prospect Heights? If so, IF YOUR HOUSE IS IN THE PROPOSED DESIGNATED DISTRICT you should have very recently received a letter from the Landmarks Preservation Commission inviting you a Public Forum on Wednesday, April 9 at 7pm at P. S. 9, on Underhill Ave btw St Marks and Bergen. If you didn’t get the letter, you’re in the clear.
I urge all PH residents to attend. The LPC’s regulations are far less onerous than many people believe. They will work with you on your project. In most cases, it just takes a few weeks to get approval. Only when a major change is suggested (like a massive vertical and rear extension to double the size of the house) would a public hearing be involved. Gates should be no problem. Even window changes can be handled with very little fuss.
Go to http://www.phndc.org for a lot more information including a really useful FAQ for Prospect Heights as well as one developed for Crown Heights North.
Thanks.
Are you in Prospect Heights? If so, IF YOUR HOUSE IS IN THE PROPOSED DESIGNATED DISTRICT you should have very recently received a letter from the Landmarks Preservation Commission inviting you a Public Forum on Wednesday, April 9 at 7pm at P. S. 9, on Underhill Ave btw St Marks and Bergen. If you didn’t get the letter, you’re in the clear.
I urge all PH residents to attend. The LPC’s regulations are far less onerous than many people believe. They will work with you on your project. In most cases, it just takes a few weeks to get approval. Only when a major change is suggested (like a massive vertical and rear extension to double the size of the house) would a public hearing be involved. Gates should be no problem. Even window changes can be handled with very little fuss.
Go to http://www.phndc.org for a lot more information including a really useful FAQ for Prospect Heights as well as one developed for Crown Heights North.
Thanks.
I think the op is suggesting that his/her neighborhood will be landmarked soon, not that her/his individual property will. I think that makes a difference vis a vis the advice from 10:50, no?
Generally, if the property has not been calendared by LPC, you can do what you want. If it has been calendared, you are too late. You can check in BIS – if it says “Landmark: C”, you’re calendared.
(I say generally because LPC has stepped in and slowed/prevented DOB permits being issued on properties they are looking at. Also, it is not in your long-term interest to do something radical – at some point, you will have to go to LPC for a permit, so don’t poison the well.)