By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter
Some Greenwich homeowners may be able to reclaim their unused attic spaces, thanks to recent building code changes and two veterans of the architectural world.
Louis Van Leeuwen, CEO of Greenwich Construction, and Cormac Byrne of the noted architecture firm Jones Byrne Margeotes Partners, have joined forces to create Greenwich Attic. The new venture aims to provide a seamless solution to attic conversions, placing feasibility, engineering, architectural plans, permitting, interior design and construction.
“We’re ecstatic. I think it’s a great opportunity for the both of us to diversify what we do,” Byrne said.
The original Floor Area Ratio rules from 2002 tried to curb the building of McMansions, which changed choices such as roof styles. FAR essentially determines the amount of square footage that’s allowed to be built in different zones.
Therefore, valuable square footage was loaded up on the first and second floors, and trussed attics, which prevented any habitable living space, were used in new home construction because they were excluded from FAR.
The new rules, which went into effect on Aug. 1, now asses attics based on how the home appears from the exterior versus how the space is used on the interior. Homeowners can add living spaces to attics without impacting their FAR allowances.
“We can go in and take all these trusses out and add additional square footage which wasn’t available to any of these homeowners,” Byrne said.
The size of the second floor determines the space that can be utilized in the attic. For example, 4,000 square feet would equate to 800 square feet of additional space in the attic, which could be transformed into a bathroom, bedroom, recreational room or whatever the homeowner desires.
Both Van Leeuwen and Byrne believe these new changes will be attractive to homeowners in Greenwich, where they estimate a couple thousand homes would be candidates for attic reclamation.
“It increases the value of the home,” Van Leeuwen said. “According to some calculations and models we’ve run, the value of the house should increase considerably more than the cost of doing the renovation.”
Changes in the code came to fruition after a couple years of debate. The fire department opposed trussed attics because they were built with low-quality wood that burned quickly. In the event of a fire, access to the attic would be difficult since there’s very little room to move around.
“The architectural community has been fighting [the code] for years,” Byrne said.
“[The trusses are] an engineering thing,” Van Leeuwen added. “It holds up the roof, but there are a lot of other ways to do that where you could’ve used the space.”
The new rules will benefit homeowners on small lots, especially in the R-7 and R-12 zones, who can’t afford to build out; they can now build within. Those situated in flood zones are beneficiaries as well. Since they’re not allowed to have any storage on the lower levels, they can now reclaim attic space up top.
Greenwich Attic launched earlier this month, and offers free consultations to those interested in reclaiming their attic spaces.
Van Leeuwen and Byrne will come up with the drawings and submit them to the Planning & Zoning office where they’ll do the math and approve or deny the project.
What makes this venture unique is that it’s the only company in Greenwich offering these services, which are conveniently housed under one roof. The homeowner can go through an attic conversion smoothly without having to go through several people and businesses.
“We’re trying to come to the market with something that’s a one-stop shop,” Byrne said.
Because of the diversity of Greenwich between urban and backcountry settings, both Van Leeuwen and Byrne said it’s a great area to work in.
“You get challenged design wise,” said Byrne. “It’s an interesting place to work.”
For more information or to set up a consultation at the Greenwich Attic offices located at 209 River Road in Cos Cob, visit www.greenwichattic.com, or call 203-580-4900.
