Does a rear deck constitute a "change of egress" and trigger need for a certificate of occupancy on a pre-1938 house?

We are looking at a brownstone (2 family) with no certificate of occupancy.  Not a problem in itself, as far as we can tell.  Appears to just be an old (pre-1938) house.  But, being an old house, we are going to need to do a fair bit of renovations if we take/get it.  We will keep it as a 2 family, but I wondered if anyone has found that the absence of a certificate of occupancy made the permits / approvals / inspections process more complicated? Specifically, we would love to put a rear deck on to give us garden access from the parlour floor, using the garden level as the rental.  Wouldn’t be a big deal (I think) under normal circumstances, but my current understanding is that certain events trigger a need to get a certificate of occupancy on one of the old pre-1938 houses, and apparently a “change of egress” is one of them (in addition to obvious things like actually changing the occupancy). Does anyone know whether adding a rear door out onto a deck would trigger a need for a certificate of occupancy on a house which currently doesn’t have or need one?  It feels like it shouldn’t, but I don’t expect 100% logic in the labyrinthine world of DOB.  That said, I also want to do things by the book (kind hard to pretend a door from the back of the parlour floor was pre-existing).  And if this change does trigger a need for a certificate of occupancy, does that mean a whole Type-1 alteration application (which I think is a lot longer/more expensive/more complicated than Type-2)?  Any info or suggestions on how to deal with it most welcome!

aussieben

in Decks and Porches 13 years and 6 months ago

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aussieben | 13 years and 2 months ago

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I wish I could, but the sale fell through (read – we got screwed), so never had the pleasure of walking this line with the DOB.    Sorry   Ben

angelat | 13 years and 2 months ago

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Yes please do tell.

nielbot | 13 years and 3 months ago

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How did it go?  I’m about to close on a house with a strikingly similar situation.

jockdeboeraia | 13 years and 6 months ago

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It sounds like he is doing other work and will need to file at the very least an Alt II, I have had DOB ask for a C of O to be created if there was not one existing. I just took on a project for that very reason.

aussieben | 13 years and 6 months ago

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Thanks all – appreciate the quick feedback.  And that makes sense – that change of egress means altering an existing, required exit like a fire escape.

yte | 13 years and 6 months ago

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This should be an alt 2 filing. Not an Alt 1 which would trigger an inspection and new C/O. You are not adding floor area and the only way you would be modifying egress is if the building were a multifamily (3 or more family) and you were somehow infringing or modifying a firesecape at the rear of the building…..

jockdeboeraia | 13 years and 6 months ago

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There is a great way to do this, but no guarrantee DOB will apporve it. It is always worth doing as it will save filing the Alt I if approved.