There's a Light That never Goes Out
We’ve been keeping an eye out for a lamp post that would work in our front yard, but have yet to come across one at any of the local architectural salvage spots we frequent. To better define what would be appropriate, we photographed several within a block of our house. Another option that has surfaced…
We’ve been keeping an eye out for a lamp post that would work in our front yard, but have yet to come across one at any of the local architectural salvage spots we frequent. To better define what would be appropriate, we photographed several within a block of our house. Another option that has surfaced is using an old newel as the post and attaching a lantern to the top of it. Does anyone know if you need Landmarks approval to put one of these in?
Not ConEd program – was a Brooklyn Union Gas program (now Keyspan). The company was also active in
some apt. bldg. renovations to spur other renovations in the area. Was called Cinderella project.
I don’t know if still exists – I think that is downside when larger corp. takes over – not involved in local community development.
During our house inspection, we were told that most of the gaslights in brownstone brooklyn were actually installed by ConEd in the ’60s as part of a neighborhood-improvement effort. Has anyone else heard the same?
Yes, LPC would want to look at it, and they have some opinions on what it should be. From the LPC Rowhouse Manual, pg. 34:
“With few exceptions, yards and areaways of historic houses were not originally lighted with either electric or gas fixtures. If original or historic lighting fixtures remain, however, they should be retained. Where such fixtures existed, they were sometimes attached to fences or newel posts by means of posts extending up from these features. The light source for such fixtures should be either gas or low-wattage white incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs.
If yard or areaway lighting is desired when there is no evidence of original lighting fixtures, it should be designed to be as unobtrusive as possible. Fixtures should not be placed on posts in the yard or areaway, or on fences. The best approach is to conceal the light source by locating it on short, hood fixtures attached to areaway walls or installed in the ground in shrub or plant beds. Basement or garden-level doorways are best lighted from fixtures under the main stoop or on the wall next to the entrance under the stoop.”
Somewhat confusing.
re: Landmarks – yes.