Landmark brownstone doors

Good afternoon everyone, I am hoping that someone can shed some light on this issue I am having. I hired an Architect for a project in the historical district of Bedsty. The house is a legal 4 family with lots of original details which we are trying to keep. Most of the apartment entryways are 30” door ways with very nice detail molding and solid wooden doors ( we would love to keep). My architect is telling me that I have to replace all the apartment doors to 32-36 inches and bring the building to code. He is telling me if I do not do this I will not get the CO. I am reaching out to you all in the forum for some advice I am not sure if he is overlooking something or he is not familiar with landmark buildings. This is a concern to me because I am seeing other renovations going on my street and they are not changing interior doors. Most people are telling me I can keep the doors because they are grandfathered in (not sure what that means). If anyone knows how I can find out about this please e-mail me. A contact at DOB or LPC that knows about this would help greatly. I would love to keep the doors.

keal66

in Brownstoner Renovation 12 years ago

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xldghufajmbow | 12 years ago

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August is completely right, I looked into this recently. You don’t need sprinklers and and a fire escape, generally it can be one or the other.

Augustiner | 12 years ago

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Who is putting that pressure on you? Doors and planning on doors can always be changed or amended along the line. Also, usually if you have a sprinkler system you don’t need fire escapes. Check your team.

keal66 | 12 years ago

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We are doing a Gut renovation but we are not changing the C of O. We are putting in a new fire escape (house do not have one) and we are upgrading the sprinkler system. I will pay the DOB a visit and see if I can have someone there give me clarity (definite yes or no answer). I will need to make a decision in a few days. Thanks for all your comments.

Augustiner | 12 years ago

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If you currently have a 4 family c of o it shouldn’t be a big problem. If you are doing a new c of o then it’s more complicated, mainly because in so called commercial buildings (3 family +) fire code requires 2 hr fire rated walls and doors between the units and common hallway. The easiest way to get around this (and many other obstacles) is to make it into a 2 family, which makes most sense anyway, because you don’t loose half the sqf on hallway space.

cate | 12 years ago

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An architect or an expediter with a lot of experience changing C of Os in Brooklyn should be able to help you. I’ve never heard of anyone having to change their doors. In the unlikely event you have to, save the original doors in the basement or attic and leave the existing door frames as is (just fill them in) so someone can always change them back later if the law changes or the house is turned back into a one family, etc.

Arkady | 12 years ago

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I’d ask the DoB. It would be a shame to lose the original doors. You can try phoning via 311 or go to the DoB – there’s a help desk & it can actually help.

a2chitect | 12 years ago

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First off, we need to separate the jurisdiction of Landmarks from your issue. LPC will have no jurisdiction on the width of your interior doors. There may be an issue with the building code, however. Can you tell me why the alteration requires a new C of O? Was it originally a 4-family? Did you move the entry doors from their original locations? Grandfathering usually refers to a condition that existed prior to the building code or precedes the current building code. In regards to fire and life safety, though, the DOB will not always allow you to grandfather existing conditions if it’s something as easy as changing a door to comply with current fire code.