Window Film in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn

Window Film in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District

The Brooklyn Heights Historic District was designated in 1965, the first under the city's Landmarks Law. It covers most of the neighborhood: Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate and Gothic Revival rowhouses, carriage houses on the mews, and a number of prewar apartment buildings. The Landmarks Preservation Commission reviews visible changes to these buildings, and windows are high on its list.

Interior film is applied to the room side of the glass and leaves sash, frames and old glazing alone. Clear and low-reflectance films do not change how a window looks from Willow, Pierrepont or Remsen Street. Frosted, tinted or mirrored films on a front window are a visible change, so we suggest owners raise them with LPC before going ahead. Rear windows facing gardens are generally less of a concern for landmarks, though co-op and condo rules still apply.

Harbor-Facing Window Film for Columbia Heights Homes Near the Promenade

The houses and apartment buildings along Columbia Heights and the western ends of the cross streets have rear windows that look out over the harbor, Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Those windows face west and get strong afternoon sun reflecting off the water, which heats rear parlors and fades whatever sits near the glass.

The Brooklyn Heights Promenade runs along the back of several of these properties, with people strolling at close range all day and into the evening. That makes privacy a real issue for the lower rear floors. Gradient film that frosts the lower glass and clears higher up screens the Promenade sight line and keeps the harbor view. Upper floors with no privacy issue tend to get a light heat control or glare film.

• Rear parlor floors facing the harbor: heat and UV film
• Lower rear rooms near the Promenade: gradient privacy film
• Upper floors with skyline views: light glare film
• Front windows on landmarked facades: clear film only

UV Window Film for Brooklyn Heights Parlor Floors

Parlor floors in Brooklyn Heights rowhouses typically have tall windows, ornate plaster, original wood floors and furniture that owners want to keep for decades. Daylight on those surfaces does slow, steady damage. Clear UV film screens out the ultraviolet share of that light almost entirely, and from both the room and the sidewalk the windows look exactly as before.

Many parlor windows still have older glass, sometimes with a slight wave. We inspect each pane, avoid high-absorption films on older or damaged glass and fit film neatly around the edges so it is close to invisible. Divided-light sash is filmed pane by pane.

Storefront Window Film on Montague Street and Court Street

Montague Street, Henry Street and the nearby stretch of Court Street hold the neighborhood's shops, cafes and restaurants, mostly in the ground floors of older buildings. Solar and UV films on those storefronts reduce fading and glare without hiding the shop. Professional offices on upper floors use frosted film for privacy from the street.

We install before or after business hours. Where the building is in the historic district, we choose clear films for street-facing storefront glass.