A Guide to Purchasing or Renovating a Historic Property
This guide is for purchasing, renovating, or repairing a historic property which is governed by a covenant held by the Roslyn Landmark Society. It outlines steps to take, resources to consult, and organizations to contact to ensure a successful and compliant project.
A covenant is a clause of a property’s deed whose purpose may be to maintain the property’s architectural integrity. Purchasing, repairing, or renovating a property with a covenant requires a few extra steps when compared to traditional home projects. Restrictions are in place to maintain specific standards on exterior changes, materials, interior alterations, color schemes, window styles, and/or landscaping.
Here are a few tips to guide you through construction on a property with a restrictive covenant.
Where to check if a property has restrictions and who to contact?
Historic properties may have restrictions placed upon them by one or all of the organizations listed below. It is your responsibility to check each one and contact the appropriate parties, adhering to all standards and regulations.
37 covenant properties registered with the Roslyn Landmark Society are subject to review by the Roslyn Landmark Society. The Roslyn Landmark Society’s Covenant Committee was born of the necessity to preserve the Village of Roslyn’s historic structures. Beginning in the 1960’s Roger and Peggy Gerry bought Roslyn’s endangered buildings, restored them, and then sold them with covenant restrictions.
Requests for review and information can be emailed to [email protected].
Listed under “Roslyn Landmark Society Covenant” will either be “No” or “Yes.” If “Yes,” the word will hyperlink to a .pdf of the property’s covenant. This document will outline the specific rules and limitations governing repairs and renovations.
