Sarah Carroll. Image credit: LPC.
Sarah Carroll continues to rise within the Landmarks Preservation Commission. On September 26, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the appointment of Sarah Carroll as the new Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is the largest municipal preservation agency in the nation, responsible for protecting New York City’s architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites by granting them landmark or historic district status, and regulating them after designation. To read CityLand‘s prior coverage on Carroll, click here.
Sarah Carroll has 24 years of experience at the Landmarks Preservation Commission. She has served the Commission in various capacities including Landmarks Preservationist, Deputy Director of Preservation, and Director of Preservation. Since 2014, Carroll has served as the Executive Director for the Commission.
Carroll earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from Bates College and a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. In 2012, she was the recipient of the Sloan Public Service Award for her outstanding work at the Commission
As Executive Director, Carroll oversaw designation of more than 4,000 buildings and sites in the City. Carroll oversaw the Commission’s research and preservation divisions and managed the Commission’s budget, operations, technology, staffing, communications, and public outreach. She also implemented new measures such as new website features that provide information and access to the Commission’s work and the development of a new internal permit tracking database that increased efficiency and staff accountability in the application process.
Carroll worked closely with the former Chair of the Commission as a primary advisor.
“Sarah is a dedicated public servant and preservationist with more than two decades of experience,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Her intimate knowledge of the Commission’s work and her commitment to preservation make her an invaluable asset in the effort to protect the historic buildings and sites that make New York City so unique.”
“Having dedicated my career to protecting the heritage of the city I love, it is a dream realized and an incredible honor to be appointed by the Mayor and entrusted by the Council to lead the Commission,” said LPC Chair Sarah Carroll. “I look forward to continuing to work with the Commissioners and staff to preserve and celebrate sites that reflect the diversity and rich history of our city and to partnering with property owners, elected officials, preservationists and communities to ensure these sites remain relevant for generations to come.”
“The Landmarks Preservation Commission is responsible with preserving the architectural and cultural heritage that New Yorkers value so deeply,” said Speaker Corey Johnson. “With decades of preservation expertise, Sarah Carroll has shown a lifelong dedication to public service. As a career preservationist, Sarah is an excellent choice to lead this vital office and I look forward to working with her in this new role.”
Carroll succeeds former Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan who stepped down in June of this year.