Landmarks
If your house is landmarked, read this first.
Many owners learn that their house is in a historic district only when they plan work on it. It is a manageable process. Most window and door projects are approved by Commission staff without a public hearing, provided the work matches the house.
01 · Guide
How to check
Every designated building in New York is listed by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Search the address on the Commission's map to see whether the house is an individual landmark or within a historic district, and read any earlier permits issued for it.
02 · Guide
What you can usually do without a hearing
Repairing original windows and doors in kind, and replacing later windows with new ones that match the historic configuration, material, profile and finish, are generally approved by staff — as a Certificate of No Effect or a Permit for Minor Work.
Restoring a lost element, such as an entry door or fanlight, from documentary evidence is also commonly approved at staff level.
03 · Guide
What triggers a hearing
Proposals that change the character of the façade usually go to a public hearing before the Commissioners: a new opening, a change in window operation, a different material, or a configuration with no historic basis.
A hearing is not a refusal. It adds time and requires a presentation, which an architect normally leads.
04 · Guide
Timeline you should expect
Plan on a few weeks for a survey and drawings, and typically four to ten weeks of staff review once an application is complete. Fabrication of new windows typically takes ten to sixteen weeks after approval of shop drawings. A hearing, where needed, adds time that depends on the Commission's calendar.
05 · Questions
What to ask any window contractor.
- 01ProfilesWill you take profiles of the existing sash and muntins, and show them to me in section?
- 02SpeciesWhich wood will you use, and is it the same species — or as stable — as the original?
- 03Muntin widthWhat will the muntin width be, and how does it compare with the original?
- 04GlassWill the glass be true divided light, and is insulated glass permitted for this house?
- 05Filing responsibilityWho prepares the drawings and files with the Commission — you, or my architect?
- 06Shop drawingsWill I see shop drawings before anything is built?
- 07SamplesWill you provide a profile sample and a finish sample for approval?
- 08WarrantyWhat is the warranty, and what maintenance will the windows need?