VRF Goes Uptown: Helps Conserve 130-Year-Old Mansions

East 62nd Street Historic Mansions New York City, N.Y.

December 2009

14-62 Realty Corp., New York, N.Y.

Joseph Pell Lombardi, New York, N.Y.

Breezin HVAC, Inc., Staten Island, N.Y.

Luce, Schwab & Kase, Inc., Fairfield, N.J..

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September 2010

ornamental metalwork. He added new energy efficient windows and doors made to replicate the original 1900s exterior look and feel. His interior renovations included the restoration of the historically significant rooms to their original grandeur, featuring ornate staircases, parquet door moldings and wood paneling.

New York City lots are typically 100 feet deep. With four and five stories each, the four mansions – each with its own elevator – were 9,500 to 10,300 square feet in size. From this space, Lombardi created: in building 12, four duplex (two-floored with staircase) and one single floor apartment; in building 14, two duplex and one triplex (three-floored with staircase); in building 16, two duplex, one triplex and one single floor apartment; in building 18, one quadplex apartment (four-floored with staircase), and one duplex.

Finding New York’s Best HVAC Contractor

Responding to Realty’s request to bring these units up to the highest “green” standards and sustainable design, Lombardi searched for the best-in-class HVAC installer and technology to replace the Brownstone’s circa 1920 technology and equipment.

To handle this sophisticated installation, Lombardi hand-picked Breezin HVAC,

Built in 1879-80 between Madison and Fifth Avenue, these four neo-French, five-story brownstone classics are the personification of New York City’s vibrant past. Homes built for socialite Malcolm Douglas Sloane (grandson of William Henry Vanderbilt), Alfred Clark, a former mayor of Brooklyn, and Charles Hamilton Sabin, chairman of the board of the Guaranty Trust Company, the four 12 -18 East 62nd Street buildings were purchased in 2008 by 14-62 Realty Corp. (Realty), New York, to restore and conserve as high-end, rental apartments.

“We saw the value of these historic homes and wanted to conserve the rich legacy of the Upper East Side Historic District,” said Dennis Nico, director of facilities for Realty. In this part of Manhattan there is a significant market for high-end rental apartments and in these classic brownstones we found the perfect resource for this concept.”

To make this renovation come to life, Realty tapped one of New York’s finest historic preservation masters, Joseph Pell Lombardi whose firm includes architects, preservationists, architectural historians and construction specialists.

Historic Accuracy for East 62nd Street: Apartment Details

To blend with the classical view of the Upper East Side Historical District, Lombardi restored the building’s masonry facade and signature

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Lombardi that there was only one manufacturer in the world – Mitsubishi Electric – with the ideal technology for such historic buildings. “Its Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning technology is a unique solution, zoned for comfort, and ideal for this East 62nd Street project.”

Montague incorporated Mitsubishi Electric’s ductless technology where possible. “Installing ductwork was a last resort,” he said. “Spaces that needed ductwork were the most difficult to cool and heat and the most labor intensive.”

Inc. (Breezin), Staten Island, N.Y., with whom he had worked in past preservation projects. It was Breezin’s task to install equipment and systems that were aesthetically pleasing and exceptionally quiet for the tenants. Decades-old radiators, chillers, pipes and boilers were to be removed.

VRF Technology – Ideal for Historic Building Preservation

For these 130-year-old homes, HVAC specifications were a “no-brainer” for Shawn Montague, president, Breezin. Montague told

Only building 18 required 50 percent ductwork; buildings 12, 14 and 16 needed 25 percent, saving a significant amount of labor and materials expense.”

Lombardi wanted the 51 Mitsubishi Electric floor-standing indoor units be housed in custom-made cabinets, so master carpenters were selected to craft cabinets to blend into the historic paneling. A major concern was the height and placement of the outdoor units because they were not to be seen from street level. The Mitsubishi Electric VRF outdoor units are lightweight and easily

Mitsubishi Electric VRF technology — energy efficient, environmentally friendly and whisper-quiet — is remarkable for legacy buildings: the architectural integrity is preserved.” Joseph Pell Lombardi

VRF Zoning – Energy Efficient and Whisper Quiet

“I am extremely pleased with the choice of the Mitsubishi Electric VRF technology,” Lombardi said. “The equipment is energy efficient, environmentally friendly and whisper-quiet. For my extensive work in conservation and preservation, this technology is remarkable because – with outdoor units on the roof and tiny pipes connecting the indoor units – architectural integrity of my legacy buildings will be preserved.”

fit on each building’s rooftop. Breezin brought the piping and wiring from the rooftop units down to the indoor units through 130-year-old chase walls.

Montague said Breezin has been using Mitsubishi Electric products exclusively since opening the business in 1978. “I would not have considered any other manufacturer for this challenging landmark installation. Over 100 pieces of equipment went into the installation of this project, and when the system was started up and tested last fall, it proved to be flawless,” Montague said.

“This System is Outstanding”

“This is an outstanding system for landmark buildings,” Nico said. “I have heard lots of compliments from our new tenants. They find the VRF system comfortable and easy to use. I would recommend it to anyone. This was a complicated site and a complex job. I’d like to say to the staff at Breezin I couldn’t have done this without you.”

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Mitsubishi Electric Equipment Installed

(16) PURY R2-Series Outdoor Units

(7) PUMY S-Series Outdoor Units

(1) PUZ P-Series Outdoor Unit

(1) MUZ M-Series Outdoor Unit

(39) PKFY Wall-mounted Indoor Units

(12) PDFY Ceiling-concealed Indoor Units

(51) PFFY Floor-standing Indoor Units

(13) PMFY Ceiling-concealed Indoor Units

(2) PLFY Ceiling-concealed Indoor Units

(2) PLA Ceiling-concealed Indoor Units

(16) BC Controllers

(16) G-50A Centralized Controllers