Landmarks Objection to rear facade
Wondering if anyone had any experience with Landmarks holding up a permit due to plans for the rear of a midblock house? Not visible from any street, but now they are barking about changes we were planning to make to window lines, etc. Do they even have the jurisdiction to get involved in this? I…
Wondering if anyone had any experience with Landmarks holding up a permit due to plans for the rear of a midblock house? Not visible from any street, but now they are barking about changes we were planning to make to window lines, etc. Do they even have the jurisdiction to get involved in this? I thought their reach only extended to what was visible from the street.
The deck is on your property or theirs? Get over yourself and mind your own business. Your light and air comes from your property, not your neighbors. You have no right to a view. You bought an attached house. If you want privacy, move to a big lot in the suburbs.
To Grand Army and anyone who knows,
Our neighbors have created a deck on their kitchen extension. It blocks our light and view from our bedroom window.
In terms of privacy, they walk back and forth outside our bedroom window. I don’t think the deck has landmarks approval. Any suggestions?
To speed the job along you can do two filings. First you file with for all the interior work to get a Cert of No Effect from LPC then you can proceed to the DOB for their approval. As soon as you have your permit you file for the changes that have to be negotiated with the LPC to get a Cert of Appropriateness. It will cost more but if you need to get going it is the only way, you can easily spend months with the LPC.
DOB will defiantly not approve anything until LPC does first.
And yes, LPC has jurisdiction over the TOTAL exterior of your building, visible or not, and any changes, excavations or change of elevation to your yard. Read the law
We’ve just gone through this on two projects. Yes, LPC absolutely has jurisdiction over the rear facade as well. As others are saying, it depends a bit upon what can be seen from the street (looking through yards and gaps), as well as partially how it looks in itself. Even if it’s not visible, they still have a say in it.
When it comes to minor changes, if it’s visible, it will likely go to full commission review. If not, it can be reviewed at staff level. Additions and major changes may go to the commission regardless of visibility.
We’ve done a few of these on our own projects, as well as occasionally helping owners as a consultant on projects for which we’re not the architect of record.
Call me if you want to discuss options.
Jim Hill, RA, LEED AP
Urban Pioneering Architecture
(646) 309-7259
Oh, we’ve been to the particular circle of hell and corruption that is DOB–five months and counting. I thought we had cleared the LPC hurdle months ago (with some sort of pre-DOB review), but all of a sudden they are having issues. No extensions, no sightline issues, no neighbor light issues. The whole back wall has to come down; so while we are at it we are changing up window configurations, e.g., making the parlor-level wall mainly glass.
If it’s only costing you 5k to file your extension (which you should have done prior to building) you got a great deal.
My understanding is that Landmarks has jurisdiction over anything visible from a public thoroughfare.(which is I think how the regulation reads)
I built a 2 story extension on the back of my Landmark brownstone 6 years ago. The architect demonstrated with pictures and stated that the back is not visible from any public thoroughfare and I got a Certificate of No Effect from Landmarks – no problem.
Are you sure the rear not visible? Have you demonstrated to landmarks that it’s not visible?
Yes, LPC absolutely has jurisdiction over rear facades — although their standards are not as demanding as for the front. They are looking at several things:
1. Will the proposed change encroach on the “donut hole”, ie. the open space of contiguous backyards?
2. Will the proposed change alter the pattern of aligned rear windows, extensions etc.?
3. Will the proposed change impact sightlines from the street (ie. looking in to the donut hole from the side street)?
4. Will the proposed change impact neighbors’ views and light?
And as CarrolPeter points out, you will likely first need a permit from DOB — and to satisfy their considerable requirements — before you even get to LPC.
I recommend you or your architect contact LPC staffers directly to find out exactly what they need.
i saw one other post in forum today having same problem with the landmarks, we have got the same problem getting permit from the landmarks, we build a room approximately 5/12 rear of the house, after one month (the job was done) we got a violation from the D.O.B and landmarks, now its costing us over five thousand extra to get the plan, permit,and etc. its better to get work permit before the work in this days specially in the land marks buildings. good luck.
Hmmm. I believe buildings in historic districts are exterior landmarks for all intents and purposes, so they do have jurisdiction over what you do to the rear facade. That being said, they generally do not concern themselves with what you cannot see from the street. What are you trying to do and what is their objection?