Making Exterior Changes

West Village is a historic district registered with the National Register of Historic Places.
As such, any changes to buildings or sites within West Village require a preview process with the Detroit Historic District Commission.
Note: We are not the Historic District Commission.

A Certificate of Appropriateness issued by the Detroit Historic District Commission is required for any exterior changes to a building or site in West Village. The Historic District Commission (HDC) administers an application review procedure and may approve or deny based on the appropriateness of the proposed work.

The Detroit Historic District Commission has established guidelines to assist homeowners, residents, and contractors when planning projects that will affect the exterior of a historic property. These guidelines act as a starting point for alterations and consider protection of the historic property, preservation of a building’s integrity and education in regard to the history of the city. Based on research regarding the city’s past, the guidelines do not prevent alteration, but assist in keeping a neighborhood’s character intact. Always check with the Historic District Commission early in your planning for more detailed information about what is appropriate for your property.

Link to Historic District Commission Documents, including guidelines for historic windows:

https://detroitmi.gov/documents?name=&field_department_target_id_1=%22Historic+District+Commission%22&field_description_value=