MARK I KAUFMAN
Architects in Houston, TX

5761857, Jun 9, 1998

Oct 29, 1996

8/741350

Mark I. Kaufman - Houston TX
Donald J. Meeks - Houston TX

E04H 100

521692

A residential subdivision having plural adjacent building lots is provided with common property lines between lots which may have laterally offset portions extending between front and rear property lines. Residential dwelling units and vehicle garages or carports for each lot are placed a predetermined distance from the respective property lines to conform to regulatory requirements and to provide access to all sides of the dwelling units and garages or carports, respectively, for maintenance and repair without requiring access to adjacent properties. A dwelling unit on one lot and a garage, carport or other structure on an adjacent lot are aligned along a construction reference line placed in a predetermined position extending between front and rear property lines to provide error-free placement of structures on the respective lots. Fences may be provided extending between adjacent dwelling units on adjacent lots and extending along common property lines to the vehicle garages or carports such that a rear or backyard portion of each lot utilizes an easement which may be a somewhat L-shaped portion of an adjacent lot owned by others to provide a large unobstructed backyard space for each lot.

5749186, May 12, 1998

Feb 27, 1996

8/607872

Mark I. Kaufman - Houston TX
Donald J. Meeks - Houston TX

E04H 1400

522363

A multistory, multiple dwelling unit building complex includes a multistory vehicle parking garage having vertically spaced parking decks which are disposed at the same elevations as the building corridors or breezeways which provide pathways to dwelling unit entrances in the buildings at various levels. Bridges or catwalks interconnect each parking deck with a corresponding corridor or breezeway at each floor of each building so that an occupant of a particular unit in a building may move between the unit entrance and a corresponding parking deck in the garage without changing elevation. The buildings may be clustered around plural sides of the garage with each building being connected to the garage by vertically spaced bridges or catwalks connecting the respective building levels with a corresponding parking deck. The garage may include elevators, stairways, trash disposal ducts and mailbox clusters at one or more corners of the garage. The elevators may be arranged to provide for movement between a furniture loading and unloading zone at ground level and the parking deck at the same elevation as the unit into which or from which the article or furniture is being moved.

5671570, Sep 30, 1997

Jun 19, 1996

8/666813

Mark I. Kaufman - Houston TX
Donald J. Meeks - Houston TX

E02D 1900

521692

A residential subdivision having plural adjacent building lots is provided with common property lines between lots which have laterally offset portions extending between front and rear property lines. Residential dwelling units and vehicle garages or carports for each lot are placed a predetermined distance from the respective property lines to conform to regulatory requirements and to provide access to all sides of the dwelling units and garages or carports, respectively, for maintenance and repair without requiring access to adjacent properties. A dwelling unit on one lot and a garage, carport or other structure on an adjacent lot are aligned along a construction reference line placed in a predetermined position extending between front and rear property lines to provide error-free placement of structures on the respective lots. Fences may be provided extending between adjacent dwelling units on adjacent lots and extending along common property lines to the vehicle garages or carports such that a rear or backyard portion of each lot utilizes a somewhat L-shaped portion of an adjacent lot owned by others to provide a large unobstructed backyard space for each lot. The arrangement and method provides improved utilization of land for so-called Z lot subdivisions and ease of locating construction reference lines for proper placement of buildings on adjacent lots.

5694725, Dec 9, 1997

Feb 7, 1996

8/597925

Mark I. Kaufman - Houston TX
Donald J. Meeks - Houston TX

E04H 100

522363

A multistory apartment building having at least three stories and multiple apartment units. At least the third story has outside balconies extending along at least one exterior sidewall and connected to spaced apart exterior stairways between the third story and the ground to provide two pathways between each third story apartment entrance and the ground by way of the stairways. A three story, eight apartment unit per story building is disclosed by way of example. The building sidewalls each include an inset portion in such a way that a second level balcony connects the entrances of two second level apartments with at least one stairway and provides a cover or roof for two ground level apartment entrances. The third story balconies provide a cover for the second level balconies and entrances, respectively. The building roof may include portions extending over the third level balcony to provide protection for the third level entrances and the third level balconies, respectively.