Residential Architecture in New York City

Homes designed around how your family lives, across Manhattan and Brooklyn, from apartment combinations and gut renovations to townhouses and suburban homes.

Residential work in New York City is shaped by the buildings themselves: prewar co-ops with their own board eco-systems, condos with alteration rules, brownstones inside historic districts, and apartments waiting to be combined. We design homes and manage projects within those realities, across Manhattan, Brooklyn, so the result fits both what your building allows and how you want to live.

Areas we serve in New York City

We work throughout New York City and the surrounding suburbs, including:

Manhattan

Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, Grammercy, Battery Park, Chelsea

Brooklyn

Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Greenpoint, Bed-stuy and surrounding neighborhoods

Featured residential projects in New York City

Co-Op Combination

When the apartment next door became available, we nearly doubled the unit’s footprint and redesigned the entire layout. Two entrances allowed for both a formal foyer and a separate mud room. The home centers on an open entertaining area with a chef’s kitchen, while a new coffered ceiling echoes the original prewar detailing.

Upper West Side Duplex

A full renovation of a duplex apartment and its exterior garden. We excavated part of the backyard to create a lower courtyard that brings daylight into the basement level, then added new stairs and a glass bridge to reconnect the living spaces to the garden.

Park Avenue penthouse

A full Park Avenue penthouse and terrace renovation, from the master suite and family rooms to a landscaped rooftop retreat above the city.

Upper West Side Renovation

A recent Upper West Side townhouse renovation, representative of the scope we take on from layout through finishes.

Key Considerations for Renovating in NYC

Co-op and condo board approvals

Prewar co-ops run on alteration agreements and board packages, and a condo’s rules differ by building. Following design, we prepare the building submission package, coordinate with the managing agent, and keep the approval moving so your renovation does not stall before it starts.

Apartment combinations

Merging adjacent units means reconciling two layouts, two sets of building systems, and the board’s view of the combination. We have done this repeatedly on the Upper West Side and plan the project scope around what the building will actually allow.

Working within landmarked buildings

In historic districts like Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope or the upper West Side, the facade of a building are often protected, even when the building itself is not a designated landmark. We design within the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s requirements while still transforming the layout and natural light inside.

We manage your project from the first idea to the final build

Most homeowners have never run a gut renovation and do not know who handles approvals, engineers, and the contractor. We manage all of it and map the full sequence early, so you always know the next step.

How a New York City project runs

Every project moves through the same four phases. In New York, the difference is in the approvals, which we manage directly so you do not have to.

Discovery & Feasibility.

We start with how you live and what your building allows, reviewing board requirements, zoning, and code limitations before design even begins.

Schematic Design.

Floor plans and 3D models that show how the space will feel and function.

Documents, Permitting & Approvals.

This is where New York projects are won or lost. We prepare the drawings and permit sets and coordinate directly with co-op and condo boards, managing agents, the NYC Department of Buildings, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission when the building is landmarked or in a historic district.

Construction Administration.

We stay involved on site through completion, so the finished home matches the approved design.

Read our full design and construction process on the Residential Architecture service page

Why clients choose Heitler Houstoun Architects

Many firms hand off projects after permits are approved. We stay involved through construction completion, with one team handling architecture, interior design, permitting, and project management. Clients value that organized execution and clear communication, especially with New York City residential work and the approvals that come with it.

years of expertise.

families served.

100

states worked in.

How We Work

Questions we often get

Do you handle co-op and condo board approvals?

Yes. We prepare board packages and alteration agreements and coordinate directly with boards, managing agents, LPC where required, and the DOB throughout the approval process.

What is included in your interior design services?

For clients who want one team, we carry the design through from millwork, finishes, fixtures, and furniture, integrated with the architecture from the start.

How long does a gut renovation take in NYC?

Timelines vary with scope and approvals. Planning often begins six months to a year before construction, and we map the full schedule early so you always know the next step.

Do you work on homes outside the city?

Yes. We work throughout Westchester and the larger New York suburbs as well as in the five boroughs.

Ready to Start Your Residential Project in New York City?

Work with Heitler Houstoun Architects to design a home that supports your lifestyle, with expert guidance from design through documentation, approvals, and construction.

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