Commission orders minor refinements to Alice Austen House accessibility plan after preservation concerns

The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved an application Sept. 9 to add an elevated, barrier‑free boardwalk and stair assembly at the Alice Austen House and adjacent park on Highland Boulevard in Staten Island, finding the changes will improve access without diminishing the landmark’s setting. The vote was 7–0.

The project, presented by CTA Architects, will install a wood boardwalk and painted‑wood handrails that connect a reorganized parking area to the house’s front porch, create an accessible parking space and replace loose gravel pathways with compacted surfaced materials. Presenters said the new route will permit people using wheelchairs or with limited mobility to reach the front entrance directly from the parking area; the new boardwalk is designed to sit within existing grades and concealed largely by shrubbery.

Public comments included statements from the Historic Districts Council, which asked for material choices that better blend with the house and landscape, and the Victorian Society, which urged the commission to provide historic photographs and to ensure the ramp and railing design are stylistically compatible with the Gothic Revival house. The Victorian Society recommended painted wood handrails in the picturesque tradition and suggested minimizing long runs of heavy guardrail where a handrail would suffice.

Commissioners and staff noted much of the work (parking‑lot paving and some pathways) occurs outside the landmark zone and therefore is handled at staff level; the board focused on the elevated walkway and steps adjacent to the porch. Several commissioners said the boardwalk is on a secondary elevation and largely concealed by existing plantings. The commission’s approval included a recommendation that the applicant work with staff on the final handrail detailing to ensure a lighter, less visually heavy handrail and to match existing porch rail elements. The motion passed with seven votes in favor and none opposed; one commissioner was recused from this item.

Next steps: staff will review and approve final handrail details and material samples; the applicant will provide those details to staff for administrative review.