Stair railings - Wayne County
Grosse Pointe Park is the Grosse Pointe that touches Detroit, a Lake St. Clair city of 11,595 (2020 census) that grew roughly eightfold in the 1920s. Many of its houses predate World War II, from close-set brick homes on the west side to large houses on Windmill Pointe.
Grosse Pointe Park went from 1,355 people in 1920 to 11,174 in 1930, and much of what stands today was built before World War II. On the west side, in the “cabbage patch” bounded by Mack, Wayburn, Jefferson and Somerset, single- and two-family brick houses stand close together. South of Jefferson toward Windmill Pointe, where Lake St. Clair meets the Detroit River, and along the lakeshore, houses get much larger, many over 3,000 square feet. Post-war ranches fill a few lots that were split later.
The city requires a Certificate of Occupancy whenever a house changes ownership. An inspector goes through the property, every code violation has to be corrected before the certificate is issued, and the city suggests booking at least two weeks ahead. The certificate runs two years from the first inspection. A wobbling stoop rail or a missing handrail is easier to deal with before the inspection than as a condition in the middle of a sale.
The city’s 2012 maintenance guidelines for rental housing exempt properties in actual or proposed historic districts, or with historic architectural significance, from handrail and railing-height requirements so a railing can match the original construction. Those guidelines and the state code use different riser counts for when a handrail is required, so ask the Building Department which its inspectors apply. Its permit review also includes a step to decide whether historic preservation issues apply. Permits are filed through BS&A Online, and contractors must be registered with the city and carry a current certificate of insurance.
The city’s TIFA residential grant lists porches, railings and stairs among eligible facade work for properties inside its boundary. Along Kercheval and Charlevoix, Three Mile Drive and the streets near Patterson Park, typical jobs are brick-stoop railings, ornamental ironwork, repairs that keep an original rail, main-stair balustrades in the larger houses, and deck railings at the back of the lot.
Stair and porch railings across Detroit and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties:
Written quote
A quick description is enough to start.
We will call to set up a time to measure. To talk sooner, call (313) 497-5628
Something went wrong sending your request. Please call (313) 497-5628 and we’ll take the details over the phone. Your answers are still filled in below if you’d rather try again.