by Jorge Fontan | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 | Building Conversions, Brownstones & Townhouses, NYC DOB
In New York City, some of the most undervalued townhouses on the market are former SRO properties. While these buildings offer significant upside, converting them back to single-family homes is legally and technically complex. After the Great Depression, many...
by Jorge Fontan | Last updated May 26, 2020 | NYC DOB
Legally Required Windows are windows that must be provided to satisfy a code requirement for example a bedroom must have a window as per code. This would be considered a Legally Required Window. Legally Required Window Certain spaces with buildings have...
by Jorge Fontan | Last updated Jun 9, 2020 | NYC DOB, Apartment Renovations
The Special Tribeca Mixed Use District (TMU) has special rules governing the size and configuration of Lofts with regards to enlarging, extending, combining, and subdividing lofts. These rules will supersede the Zoning Codes of the Underlying District. Special...
by Jorge Fontan | Last updated Jul 2, 2023 | General Architecture, NYC DOB
NY Licensed Architect / Registered Architect Registered Architect is the term for an architect license in the United States. These mean the same thing. Each State issues an architect’s license. When one becomes a Registered Architect, they can add the...
by Jorge Fontan | Last updated May 10, 2024 | NYC DOB, General Architecture
What is a Certificate of Occupancy? A Certificate of Occupancy is a document that describes the legal use and maximum occupancy of a building issued by the Department of Buildings. The Certificate lists individual building uses per story, the maximum occupancy of each...
by Jorge Fontan | Last updated Jul 14, 2020 | NYC DOB
Filing with the NYC DOB is a complicated and involved process with many protocols to take into consideration. Types of Filing with the NYC DOB Below is a list of the main filing types at the NYC Department Of Buildings. There are actually more but we will not get...