LPC violators rewarded with a city grant

From the Queens Chronicle:

In a year’s time some of the buildings on 82nd Street between Roosevelt and 37th avenues will be restored to their historical prime, 82nd Street Partnership Executive Director Seth Taylor said this week.

“The block has some best examples of Neo-Tudor style in the city,” Taylor said, referring to the street’s peaked roofs and grided stone, wood and stucco facades.

According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the tenants and business owners on 82nd Street are one of the least compliant in the city with historical district rules. The block has about 52 outstanding violations, LPC spokeswoman Lisi de Bourbon said.

“Fines of up to $5,000 may be assessed if owners do not address the illegal conditions or ignore the violation,” de Bourbon said. “However, this is not the case in Jackson Heights because we are working in partnership with the BID and the owners to ensure the work is legalized.”

To incentivize those businesses the 82nd Street Partnership was awarded a $50,000 Storefront Improvement Program grant by the city’s Department of Small Business Services. The money will allow the partnership to work with between five and seven store owners on the block, Taylor said.

Phase one will be to create a design that eliminates their LPC violations, and will be paid for in full by the grant.

Phase two implements the plan, in keeping with the neighborhood’s architectural style. Owners will split the cost of construction with the 82nd Street Partnership. Taylor estimates each project will cost about $5,000 in total and take about two months from start to finish.