Best Time to Contact LPC
We are in contract to buy a house in a historic district. I know we’ll have to submit renovation plans to the Landmarks Preservation Commission eventually, but we’re wondering if we should ask them now if there are any existing violations. (The thought being if there are current violations, we could negotiate that the seller…
We are in contract to buy a house in a historic district. I know we’ll have to submit renovation plans to the Landmarks Preservation Commission eventually, but we’re wondering if we should ask them now if there are any existing violations. (The thought being if there are current violations, we could negotiate that the seller pay to fix them before we close.) Our attorney doesn’t want us to invite scrutiny from the LPC until we absolutely have to. Anyone have advice or experience to offer?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks, all! I’ll let you know (in a few months) how it all turns out.
Additionally, any existing noted violations will have to be rectified before you can close. I would agree with sam at this point — don’t open a can of worms unnecessarily.
Once you have closed and are in your new home, I hope that you will choose to correct these violations voluntarily in the spirit of acknowledgement of and respect for the rich architectural heritage around us that lead to these properties’ landmarking in the first place.
The only violations shown on the DoB website and elsewhere are those that have been called in to the LPC by neighbors, etc.
Once a property is landmarked, in my experience, LPC does nothing in terms of enforcement and followup. Maybe they care more about these things in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope, but when I called the LPC about some really egregious violations occurring on my block in the PLG Historic District, I was told that the LPC didn’t have time to keep track of these things, and I could write them down myself and send them in, and “someone will eventually” get back to me. Meanwhile, the destruction/defacement of landmarked properties continues…
Do you think the LPC staffers are like the Maytag repairman just waiting to speed out to your house and make an inspection? I agree with your attorney, don’t invite scrutiny. The staff of the LPC are not there to help you save money on your closing. They are there to annoy you and make your life hell after you buy.
You’re welcome for the best advise you have received all day!
Regardless of what you plan to do you should find out what violations there are on a property before you buy it.
Never wait. Find out now, decide if you want a price reduction, resolution, or you’ll worry about it after purchase. But I would strongly recommend finding out what violations are on the property well before closing.
LM violations get recorded on BIS. Just go to the DoB website and type in the address and you’ll be able to tell if they have any violations, Landmarks or otherwise.