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Landmarks approves quartzite cladding and wall-mounted HVAC at 106 Carroll Place after owners explain need
Summary
The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved legalization of quartzite cladding at the base of a Staten Island accessory structure and a wall‑mounted HVAC condenser that had been installed without permits, finding the work reversible and consistent with the utilitarian character of Carroll Place.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved an application to legalize exterior stone cladding and a wall‑mounted HVAC split system at 106 Carroll Place in the Saint George–New Brighton Historic District on Staten Island.
Preservation staff presented the case and said the accessory garage structure sits below the primary houses on St. Mark’s Place, is partially built into a hillside and is normally seen only in proximity to adjacent garages. Richard Wright, preservation staff, said the applicants installed a light‑gray quartzite cladding on the building base and a wall‑mounted condenser to address water infiltration and interior comfort. "The position of the HVAC unit is constrained by its proximity to the electric source and the rooms that it serves as well as required clearance above a pathway," Wright said.
Owners Christy Smith and Mark Long told commissioners they had not realized the work required LPC approval when the cladding (installed about five years earlier) and the HVAC (installed about 11 years earlier) were completed and said the changes improved living conditions. "We were just trying to make our house look more like a dwelling and help improve our quality of life," Smith said. Long described safety and habitability concerns that motivated the work and urged the commission for understanding.
Commissioners found the stone veneer compatible with surrounding materials and that the unit is visible from a limited corridor. Commissioner Master said the improvements "make it look a lot nicer," while Commissioner Goldblum recommended that the applicants work with staff to minimize visible conduit and explore alternate placement if feasible. The commission approved the application by a 7–0 vote and asked the applicants to coordinate paint color options for the garage doors with staff to further harmonize the base.
