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.
I would hardly call Crown Heights a neighborhood with excellent” mass transportation. In fact a look at the subway map will show that except for downtown Brooklyn, Borough Hall,
and the Atlantic Ave. nexus, most of Brooklyn is underserved. That hasn’t stopped people from going after landmark status. And a glance around Manhattan hasn’t shown construction hampered by any neighborhood’s landmark status either.
I really like the windows in this house.. I wish that the LPC would police people here in Stuyvesant Heights that paint there houses purple and replace stoops with kitchen counter top granite and tacky Lions.
Minard – I attended the recent public hearing on LPC’s budget. Three people testified at the hearing. I was the only private citizen, the two others represented preservation organization.
Benson, please learn the meaning of “ad hominem”.
Disagreeing with your position is hardly an ad hominem attack.
need standards, but not total stoppage
LPC and staff unable to admin their huge burden, which keeps growning double their staff, add an appeals process, develop more standards current system outrageous
“As to Benson’s allegations, the LPC is here to protect historic neighborhoods and structures. They are not the zoning police, nor are they city planning. ”
Montrose;
A few points:
a) you are making my argument in this statement. The LPC and the preservtionist community have one mission in mind (protecting historic neighborhoods), and they do NOT consider zoning and urban planning. Exactly my point.
b) as to this statement: “To blame them for a lack of supply in the housing market is absurd”
I do not blame them for a lack of supply, I blame them for hampering ADDITIONAL supply in neighborhoods with excellent mass transportation.
Oh please, ad hominem. Must be the 10,00th time you’ve used that word on brownstoner. Why argue with you- I can see by reading your post nothing any of us have ever said about the LPC, preservation or landmarking has registered with you one iota. Every thread even touching on the subject has you unleashing yet another anti-landmarking tirade. So why should I bother?
“Hey guys, get the story straight, Landmarks is NOT stopping people from putting new windows on the secondary facades of their buildings. They have long-established rules that allow them to be approved at staff level. It is community activists, like Mr. Sloane, who are objecting to these rules and who want the Commission to change their stance.”
Worth repeating. The LPC is not the bad guy here.
The thing is this, when the commission holds hearings about modifying their rules on new windows or anything else, you can bet Roy Sloane will be there, with bells on, to testify at length.
Will Donatella take the time to be there? Benson? cmu? This is participatory democracy guys. If you ain’t got the time to go and make your views known -you should not complain later that others got their way.