More Oversight for New Windows on Landmarks?
The Brooklyn Paper has a story about how the city is looking to beef up restrictions on homeowners who want to put in new windows on the sides of buildings in historic districts, a move that comes after the stir caused by Norah Jones putting in windows on the side of her Cobble Hill house…
The Brooklyn Paper has a story about how the city is looking to beef up restrictions on homeowners who want to put in new windows on the sides of buildings in historic districts, a move that comes after the stir caused by Norah Jones putting in windows on the side of her Cobble Hill house and, perhaps, the controversy over 227 Clinton’s owner wanting to do the same. According to the article, the current law governing such alterations is “ambiguous,” and an LPC spokeswoman says there’s “a need for the Commission to set a limit on the number, size, pattern and placement of visible window openings on secondary facades.” Meanwhile, Roy Sloane, the president of the Cobble Hill Association, had this to say about the matter: “How can we preserve our landmarks when windows can be put in places where windows were never intended to go?”
City to Close ‘Norah’ Loophole [BK Paper]
Photo from Lost City.
No one missed your point, cmu. In fact most of us were arguing that the LPC needs to dial it back on some things.
Historic dust get trapped inside if you use energy-efficient windows, and gets very cranky, so LPC has a point.
>They cannot force you to buy and add shutters.
In this instance, they did. I think one of the LPC-knowledgeable people here knew what the deal was when I mentioned it a year ago…something about that section of houses was deemed to have shutters. I know the person to whom this happened.
>The light fixture has to be historically appropriate as well as door colors.
Just in case you missed the ENTIRE POINT of my argument, this should not be in their purview.
BSM is right- they won’t force you to put back features simply because there were originally there. it’s when you want to make changes to the house it becomes a question. If your house was painted pepto-bismol pink when it was designated, it means you can keep it that color (horrors!) and if you repaint, you repaint it the same. But if you are going to repaint with a different color you must use an appropriate lpc approved color. But they will not force you to repaint your house because it was landmarked. They cannot force you to buy and add shutters. The only way I can seem them doing so is if your friend was going to restore the facade back to its original. Then they might- although i still don’t see them making someone add shutters if there were none on t he house when it was landmarked.
” Another was to install shutters where there were none in the originally built house, because all the other houses in that designation had them.”
Does not sound likely to me since the house is grandfathered at the time of designation and LPC does not force people to add features to their house.
The light fixture has to be historically appropriate as well as door colors.
CMU – Read the LPC Home Owner Manual
http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/lp_rhmanual.pdf
Where did you get the idea that they don’t allow casement windows? The window type is specific to the building.
“I think you’re all missing the point. Every window in a brownstone is yet another opening where the historic air, an often-overlooked and yet extremely important aspect of a properly maintained historic home, might leak out. ”
SNORT! You and bxgrl are cracking me up!!
Sorry, just had to say that. Carry on…
No Passiv Haus is not everyday. But you’re wrong that it was their choice. They had to use casement windows, which are verboten by LPC, so there’s a very expensive German brand that mimics double-hung. The point is, LPC does not have to mandate double-hung.
Your friend’s example is one of the few times I’ve heard LPC adopt a reasonable stance…maybe it’s like inspectors, depends on who reads the plan?
I do know of one person who had to change a “modern” light fixture *in the back of the house*. Another was to install shutters where there were none in the originally built house, because all the other houses in that designation had them. And, of course the forced colors of doors.