When Gerald and Beatrice Banu sought approval for refurbishing the cast iron balustrades that grace the front of their 114 year-old Greenwich Village brownstone, the New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission quickly gave its approval. Had the Banus wanted to replace the old railings with those of modern design, however, they would have been discouraged by commission staff members even before formal submission of an application.
SOURCE
New York Times. (Jun 20 1982)