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Despite having had a house in a landmark district for five years, the owner of 470 14th Street in Park Slope couldn’t be bothered to play by the rules when she decided to spruce up the exterior of her 1892 William Hawkins-designed townhouse earlier this year. Now, after the fact, she’s having to go back to LPC to try to get approval for the unauthorized windows and paint job. While they’re at it, they should take a look at that door. It doesn’t exactly scream “original!”
December 18, 2007 Agenda [LPC] GMAP


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  1. White windowframes reflects sunlight into the house – as opposed to absorbing sunlight like dark facades and dark windowframes do. Everyone complains about how dark brownstones are, then rejects any ideas that help bring more light into an interior. Dark windowframes are just too goth for us. We have white windowframes on our limestone house. We didn’t choose them, the seller did, but we like them, our rooms are absolutely brightly sunfilled, so that’s that on the issues as far as we’re concerned. I would not want brown or black windowframes in my interior. We had them in our brownstone coop and they were gross. Hard to do a modern interior with them.

  2. 3:27, that’s not exactly true in the case of the new Crown Heights North landmarked district, where 90% of the homeowners could be classified at “oldtimers”. As a community, we decided that the benefits of landmarking vastly outweigh the negatives. Granted, there are those who disagree, but not as many as there are those who want the neighborhood to maintain its historic and architectural charm. Not all of the oldtimers are clueless to the intrinsic value of the community.

    I will agree there is a fine line between this case and someone who decides to brickface and stucco their limestone, and add a pair of lions to the staircase. And the correct windows are horribly expensive. I’m not looking forward to the day I replace mine.

  3. TACKY!!
    was that originally a brownstone or a brick? Either way it’s a terrible renovation.

    when you buy a house in a landmarked area, you don’t own your house, landmarks does!! You don’t tell them what you want to do with the facade, they tell you what to do with it.

  4. “I also have a feeling that more people in favor show up at meetings affecting whether the neighbor is ultimately landmarked than those against. ”

    that’s because the people who actually have lives don’t care enough about what other people do with their private property.

  5. “While they’re at it, they should take a look at that door. It doesn’t exactly scream “original!””

    the tone here is pretty irritating.

    seriously, where do “normal” people buy a new door when they need one? people who can’t afford to spend $5000 on an original looking wooden door?

  6. I hate to make it a case of old timers versus newcomers but that is basically how the lines are drawn when it comes to those in favor of landmarking and those opposed. Neighborhoods where the old timers still outnumber the newcomers will probably not get the signatures necessary to even start the process until the rest of the old timers sell or die. As previous posters have stated there are middle of the road compromises that can be made if LPC laws are changed. If the regulations were not so restrictive it, would make it easier for those who are “clamoring” for the designation to get the support from a broader cross section of their community. I also have a feeling that more people in favor show up at meetings affecting whether the neighbor is ultimately landmarked than those against.

  7. The pink house is a famous case. The little old man who lives there loves the color because his now deceased wife picked it out many years before landmarking. The Commission let him repaint because it is a grandfathered color. Of course this set all the neighbors up in arms because they claim it was not the same color it was brighter -duh, it was freshly applied- Funny how the commission is never strict enough with other people. Anyway, the old guy did not receive a violation and the neighbors made themselves look like jerks.

  8. This is a bit off topic, but not really. There is a house in Park Slope between 7th and 8th, I think it’s on Carroll (maybe President) and it is painted hot pink/purple. It’s awful but also kind of makes me smile. I mean, I’m assuming it’s a landmarked block and the only thing I can imagine is that the owners hated their yuppy neighbors and decided to piss them off. No one could actually pick that color based on their own taste. I would love to know the story and how they are getting away with it. Does anyone know anything about that house?

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