01
Facade & Brownstone Repair
Brownstone patching and recasting, spall repair, lintel and sill repair, and full facade restoration using period-appropriate materials.
Brownstone Restoration
Brooklyn brownstone restoration.
AGC NYC restores and renovates brownstone and limestone row houses across Brooklyn — facade and masonry repair, repointing, stoop and cornice reconstruction, structural remediation, landmark coordination, and full interior gut renovation for homeowners and building owners.
- Homeowners
- Brownstone Buyers
- Multi-Family Owners
- Landmark Districts
- Architects
01 — Overview
Restoration work that satisfies both the building and the Landmarks process
Most Brooklyn row houses were built between the 1870s and the 1920s, and their problems are consistent: spalling brownstone, failed repointing, water tracking behind the facade, cracked lintels and sills, deteriorated stoops and cornices, sagging joists, and parapets that no longer meet code. Restoration means diagnosing the water path first, then rebuilding with materials that move the way the original assembly does — lime mortar, brownstone patching, and period-appropriate profiles rather than hard cement fixes that accelerate damage.
In Fort Greene, Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Carroll Gardens and other landmark districts, exterior work also requires Landmarks Preservation Commission review alongside DOB permits. We prepare and file that work, coordinate with preservation architects and engineers where the scope calls for it, and sequence scaffolding, sidewalk sheds, and trades so the property is disrupted once rather than repeatedly.
Interior restoration — plaster, original millwork, mantels, and stair repair — is frequently part of the same scope, and can be combined with a gut renovation of the systems behind the walls.
02 — Capabilities
Restoration scopes we self-perform.
02
Repointing & Masonry
Tuckpointing and repointing in lime mortar, brick replacement, waterproofing, and parapet and chimney rebuilds.
03
Stoops, Cornices & Ironwork
Stoop reconstruction, cornice repair and replication, and restoration or replacement of original iron railings and gates.
04
Landmark Filings & Approvals
LPC certificates and DOB permits prepared and filed in-house, coordinated with preservation architects when the scope requires it.
05
Structural Remediation
Steel reinforcement, joist sistering, bearing-wall repair, foundation waterproofing, and rear-wall rebuilds.
06
Interior Historic Detail
Plaster repair, crown and door molding, original millwork, mantels, and stair restoration matched to what survives in the house.
03 — Process
How we build.
01
Condition Survey
Forensic assessment of facade, structure, and interior systems before any work begins.
02
Filings & Approvals
LPC certificates, DOB permits, and engineer-stamped drawings handled in-house.
03
Execution
Masons, carpenters, and trades coordinated under a single principal — quiet, clean, on schedule.
06 — Questions
What owners ask us first.
Do I need Landmarks approval for facade work on my brownstone?
If the building sits in a designated historic district or is individually landmarked, exterior work visible from the street generally requires Landmarks Preservation Commission review in addition to a DOB permit. We confirm the building's status during the survey and prepare the filings.
Can brownstone be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
It depends on the depth and extent of deterioration. Sound stone with surface spalling is usually patched or recast in a matched material; badly failed sections may need to be cut out and replaced. The condition survey establishes which approach applies where.
Why does repointing keep failing on old row houses?
Usually because a hard portland-cement mortar was used on soft historic brick or brownstone. The mortar is stronger than the masonry, so the masonry fails instead of the joint. We repoint in lime-based mortar matched to the original.
Can restoration be combined with a gut renovation?
Yes, and it is often more efficient. Facade, structural, and mechanical work share scaffolding, protection, and access, so combining them shortens the total schedule.
Which Brooklyn neighborhoods do you work in?
We work throughout Brooklyn, including Fort Greene, Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Carroll Gardens, and Prospect Heights.
What should I share before a brownstone site visit?
The property address, photos of visible deterioration, any architect or engineer reports, landmark status if known, and whether the project includes interior renovation help us prepare for the first review.
Planning a brownstone restoration?
Tell us about your brownstone and a principal will walk the property within two weeks.
studio@agcnyc.com