Lucy Cohen Blatter
It’s hard to beat the charm of a landmarked building. Many boast beautiful architectural details (no cookie-cutters here), historical relevance and stronger bones than newer construction.
Yet landmark buildings–those that have been deemed by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to have special historical, cultural or aesthetic value–come with some limitations that may concern even the most passionate prospective pre-war purchasers.
Here’s what to consider when buying in a prewar landmark building.
1. Examine the exterior, and expect to pay more for upgrades
To do work on the exterior of a landmarked building, approval is needed from The Landmarks Preservation Commission.  And the rules say that you can’t change the look of a landmarked building–the facade, door, windows, and even sidewalks–anything that’ll affect the exterior appearance of a designated building. (Interiors and backs of buildings are generally free game.)
Among other things, that means you will not be able to enlarge your windows, replace them with something that looks different from the outside, or cut through the wall to install a through-wall air conditioner.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE:
http://www.brickunderground.com/blog/2013/05/what_to_consider_before_buying_in_a_landmark_building
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