Cost to remove fire escapes/install sprinklers in 5 floor brownstone?

take this question over to www.brownstoner.com -- their forum is resplendent with brownstone-related construction information and recommendations - surely at least one of the posters there has dealt with this very issue

My landlord (of a townhouse) opted not to do this because of the cost. In addition to the cost for removal of the fire-escapes and the installation of a sprinkler system he said it would require a whole new linkage to the city water mains which would require breaking through the sidewalk and road. Cost for just that he said would be about $35 K.

It's hard to give a number because one of the largest costs may be refinishing the facade of the building after removing the fire escapes. I would say adding sprinklers alone about $15K. Removing fire escapes alone about $10K. Hooking up the system around $3K to $5k. Restoring the facade $10K to $80K.

If I owned a brownstone, I would remove the fire escapes no matter what the cost is. I think fire escapes are truly one of the most ugly things in NYC and absolutely hate them.

Depends on the setup. If you don't provide fire escapes, and it's used as a multi-family, you will not get the exclusive use of the staircase even if you occupy the top floors with no in-between tenants. That's my understanding, anyway.

I think they're incredibly ugly as well! They make a "townhouse" look like a "tenement."

I've seen them put on the back of the house which is a lot better than the front.

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

When is a house owner required to install sprinklers? Does it depend on the C of O?

"When is a house owner required to install sprinklers? Does it depend on the C of O?"

You need a certain number of "means of egress" and sprinklers, even though not being an actual means of egress, have been allowed as a substitute means of egress. So taking away fire escapes = -1 means of egress and adding sprinklers = +1 means of egress.

NB: usually it's not sprikler-ing the whole house, it's just sprinklering the underside of a wooden main stairs case. I guess that's why they include it as a means of egress because the feeling was that makes the use of the wooden staircase twice as useful in a fire because you'll be able to use it in case of fire where you wouldn't if it was on fire and unstable?