Episcopal Diocese plans to demolish historic Black church in Queens Village

Dear Friends,

Bishop Lawrence Provenzano of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island has a track record of closing Black churches while favoring the restoration of non-Black churches. Parishioners of historic and architecturally significant St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church (built 1894) located at 99-10 217th Lane Queens Village have sounded the alarm on his latest attempt to close their church. Enough is enough!

At a press conference in front of the church on June 7th, I was joined by concerned members of the community and preservationists, including Bishop Melvin Artis, pastor of 4 local churches, urban planner and historian Paul Graziano, Richard Hellenbrecht, Vice President of Queens Civic Congress and First Vice Chair of Community Board 13 and Maureen Grey, church historian and former member of the St. Joseph's congregation.

The Episcopal Diocese is trying to close St. Joseph’s using inconsistent arguments, saying that DOB violations are making it cheaper to demolish and build a new ‘financially viable’ building. However, violations have been cleared up and outstanding penalties amount to $1,000.

The complex, dating back to 1894, is in relatively good repair and has many historic details. The architectural pedigree of the church complex is incomparable, having been designed by some of the premier architects of the late 19th and early 20th centuries:

Parfitt Brothers – Considered the top architectural firm in Brooklyn in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hundreds of Parfitt designed buildings in Brooklyn Heights, Crown Heights North and Park Slope have been landmarked. Their firm designed the church. It is the only confirmed commission in Queens County by this firm and must be preserved.
Tuthill and Higgins – A renowned architectural firm from Jamaica. Designers of the St. Joseph’s Parsonage. Also designed the original Jamaica Hospital, Richmond Hill Branch of the Queens Public Library (one of the Carnegie Libraries) and an addition to the Reformed Church of Jamaica.
Hobart Upjohn – The grandson of Richard Upjohn (who designed Trinity Church in Manhattan). He was one of the most well-known architects for religious buildings, particularly for the Episcopal Church. He designed the parish hall.

Bishop Melvin Artis, who oversees 4 local churches, said, “I am appealing to every clergy member in the southeast Queens area: Let’s get behind the people of this church and make sure that this history remains intact.”

Urban planner and historian Paul Graziano pointed out that the Episcopal Diocese does not do this to churches in wealthier, majority white neighborhoods. “Would you see this happen in Garden City at the seat of power of the Episcopal Diocese? No. Do you see this happening in wealthy congregations in white neighborhoods? Definitely not. So, there is definitely something through the prism of ethnicity and race which is very disturbing to me because looking at how the Episcopal Church has described themselves that doesn’t really match.”

As a result of this deeply concerning situation, I have taken the step of submitting a Request for Evaluation (RFE) to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Designation of the complex as an official NYC landmark would permanently protect the house of worship from demolition.

Please see photos of church, video of press conference and RFE application here. I'll keep the community up to date on my progress.

Yours truly,

Rene Hill
Candidate for City Council
District 27

Seeking to save NYC theaters

From Crains:

In a city with 8.6 million residents packed within 303 square miles, aging movie theaters have become a preservation battleground that often pits developers looking to make a profit against elected officials eager to maintain quality of life and residents seeking communal and cultural gathering spaces. After notable failures in recent years such as the American Theater in the Bronx, which is now a Marshalls, and successes such as the Kings Theatre in Flatbush, now a live-performance venue, communities are hoping to find a road map for success with long-empty theaters such as the Metro, RKO Keith in Flushing and the Hamilton in Harlem, among several others.

"There's a desperate need for any space geared toward the community—something for young people and seniors," said Assemblyman Ron Kim, who is eyeing the RKO Keith in his Queens district. Demolition and plans for a large glass condo tower have apparently stalled, and Kim hopes a coming downturn in the Flushing condo market could give the site new life. "There's no place to meet and interact."

Once upon a time New York City did not have multiplexes—it had movie palaces, dazzling buildings that screened movies, hosted vaudeville and became social anchors for their communities. The first was the Regent, built in 1913 by Thomas Lamb at 116th Street and what is now Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. (Today it is home to the First Corinthian Baptist Church.) Nearly every neighborhood soon had its own palace with an average of 1,800 seats and lavish decorations.

But the rise of television in the 1950s, New York's fiscal crisis in the 1970s and the crime surge in the crack era all played a role in the decline of these movie theaters. Then the subsequent real estate boom made the land beneath them increasingly valuable. Large-screen home entertainment centers and movie streaming on smartphones didn't help. Coupled with the high cost of modernizing theaters for digital projection, the economics of these old picture houses simply didn't work anymore.

More than two dozen movie palaces built between 1910 and 1932 have been closed or razed. Of those still standing, some were transformed into retail stores or gyms; others were reimagined. Frequently they became churches. Even the Ziegfeld Theatre, one of the last single-screen theaters in the country when it opened in 1969, closed in 2016 after converting to digital projection. It is now Ziegfeld Ballroom, an event space.

The movie houses that remain pose challenges to communities and developers alike. While nostalgic locals campaign to turn the projection lights back on, that's typically not a realistic solution.

TWA is taking off

From PIX11:

An icon of the Jet Age is poised to soar anew: The landmark TWA Flight Center at Kennedy Airport will reopen next year as the gateway to a swank new hotel that will give new wings to the TWA name.

The TWA Hotel, which is now under construction, is rising next to the original Flight Center, which is being restored to its "Mad Men" splendor.

Commissioned by aviation tycoon Howard Hughes and designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen, the Flight Center opened in 1962.

Hopefully, Pepper the missing cat takes up residence there.

Fight is on to stop "Bayonne Boxes"

From CBS 2:

A fight between New Jersey housing developers and supporters of historic preservation is heating up as Victorian homes from the 1800s are being replaced by the spread of so-called “Bayonne Box” homes.

Now, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop has put a moratorium on demolitions until the city council can vote on a new ordinance governing tearing down old homes.

“The goal is really kind of recognizing the city’s history and some of the nicer buildings there. Not every building needs to be protected, but there are some that should,” he said.

“The new ordinance basically is designed so that each (developer) that applies for a demolition permit will go before the Historic Preservation office,” said Amatuzzo. “Then each house would get a fair assessment on its historic value, architectural style, it’s contributing aesthetics to the neighborhood, and if it ties to any historic event or family or person.”

A group of developers is fighting back with a lawsuit.

Battle of old vs new in @jerseycity preserve historic homes or build new “Bayonne Box” homes... more tonight @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/ATsn6aIapl

— Meg Baker (@megbakertv) April 13, 2018

Strange choice for historic list

From the Queens Chronicle:

Gov. Cuomo last Friday named the Spear & Co. Factory, located just south of the Woodhaven-Ozone Park border, one of 21 properties he’s suggesting be added to the state and national registers of historic places — but if you ask area historian Ed Wendell about the place, he couldn’t tell you much.

“This is the first I’m hearing anything about the building,” said Wendell, who has studied the history of Woodhaven and some Ozone Park buildings.

The building, located at 94-15 100 St., was once home to Regal Spear Co., which produced hats, and the Columbia Wax Products Co., a national manufacturer of novelty candles.

A report compiled by Gregory Dietrich Preservation Consulting, a group that assists individuals and entities in getting buildings landmarked, states the building’s history and architecture make it eligible for historic status.

LPC rejects Dulcken House

From DNA Info:

Local historians are campaigning to save a house in the neighborhood once home to a well-known musician and composer — but the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) says the building has been too significantly altered to warrant landmark status.

The Greater Astoria Historical Society submitted a Request for Evaluation to the LPC in March for the pale yellow 3-story house at 31-07 31st Ave. near 31st Street, which they say was home to Ferdinand Quentin Dulcken, a pianist, composer and music teacher.

The house was purchased by for nearly $1.4 million in 2015, records show. Its owner, George Hrisikopoulos, filed plans with the Department of Buildings in March to develop the site into a 6-story apartment building with a restaurant on the first floor.

He declined to comment when reached by phone on Friday.

Bowne Street Church designated a landmark by LPC

From the Queens Tribune:

The Bowne Street Community Church is en route to being landmarked by the city after a decade-long wait.

The City Council’s Landmarks Committee, led by Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing), unanimously voted on Tuesday to approve the church’s designation. That was followed by a vote of approval by the Council’s Land Use Committee on Wednesday. The decision will be finalized with a full City Council vote next week, where the measure is expected to pass.

The designation was first sought by members of the community in 2002 after the church’s building committee proposed demolishing the building to allow the development of a 20-story residential building in exchange for a new church and a $1 million payment, according to Koo’s office. It was initially slated for designation in 2003 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), but had been delayed over negotiations and backlogged until this past December, when the LPC voted in favor of designation.

The original 2003 proposal would have designated the entire lot, including a parking lot and annex. That became a point of discussion throughout the church’s designation process as Koo worked with LPC to redraw the designation map to exclude the parking lot and annex, leaving the church with 100,000 square feet of potential development rights and still preserving the original structure of the Bowne Street Church. The current designation applies only to the exterior walls and windows of the church.

St. Saviour's still waits for funding

From CBS 2:

A part of the city’s past has been languishing in a pair of sealed trailers in Queens for almost a decade.

CBS2’s Lou Young was there Tuesday when they were opened for the first time since 2008. Luckily, the pieces of history are right where they were left.

The trailers contain the pieces of St. Savior’s Church which originally stood in Maspeth, Queens for 160 years before it faced demolition in the face of 21st century progress.

Preservationists would like to put St. Savior’s back together on a plot of land owned by All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village. All they need is money — which the city was not interested in providing eight years ago.

“Every preservationist said it was a noted building that should be saved,” Robert Holden from the Juniper Park Civic Association said. “Unfortunately the Bloomberg administration didn’t agree.”

Now it’s the de Blasio administration’s turn to consider the $2 million project on a tight city budget that won’t be finalized until later this Spring.

Galasso Trucking has stored the church pieces for free since 2008. The company has pledged to donate the use of their trailers until the restoration is complete.

Constantinides complicit in destruction of Dulcken House

From Greater Astoria Historical Society on Facebook:

Costa Constantinides declined comment on the Dulcken House in a NY1 piece: "his spokesperson said the decision is out of his jurisdiction."

But...IN THE MINUTES OF the Community Board 1, Queens meeting dated Feb 21, 2017, page 2, "A constituent stated the some of the buildings in the district should be Landmarked.... The Councilman recommended the constituent ... contact his office."

Caliendo Gerald J AIA, who is trying to destroy the Dulcken House by another development project is the Land Use and Zoning Co-Chair of Community Board 1, Queens whose members are appointed by - Costa Constantinides. Gerry was appointed to Queens Community Board #1 in Astoria in 1977. He chaired the Land Use Committee for over 10 years and remains an active member of the Community Board to the present day, a period of over 35 years.

Mr. Caliendo is President of King Manor Museum whose mission statement reads "Our goal is to make history relevant and immediate, and to foster an awareness of the roots of the present and a deeper appreciation of history as an on-going process."

Assembly Member wants historic Brooklyn church saved

From the Brooklyn Eagle:

On Tuesday, state Assemblymember Latrice Walker called on Brooklyn's Catholic hierarchy to withdraw its demolition application for a historic church in the Ocean Hill section of Brownsville, Our Lady of Loreto.

At a press conference outside the shuttered century-old church at 124 Sackman St., Walker (D-Brownsville) urged Catholic officials to work with the community and turn Our Lady of Loreto into a much-needed cultural center.

Assemblymember Latrice Walker, at the microphone, calls for a halt to Our Lady of Loreto's demolition.Assemblymember Latrice Walker, at the microphone, calls for a halt to Our Lady of Loreto's demolition.

“Partner with our neighborhood,” Walker said.

“Let's invest in the people in this community as well as its infrastructure.”

Last week, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens CEO Msgr. Alfred LoPinto announced “there is no viable use for the structure” and it will be torn down “to provide housing for families in need.”

Sight of Steinway Mansion now obscured

Photos from George the Atheist

Effort underway to preserve another Childs Restaurant

From DNA Info:

A push is underway to landmark a local building that's thought to have once housed a Childs restaurant — the second Queens building associated with the early dining chain to catch the attention of preservationists this month.

Filmmaker Lisa Hurwitz submitted a request Saturday to the Landmarks Preservation Commission to evaluate 59-37 Queens Blvd. for potential landmarking. The history of the property and its decorative terra cotta facade deserve to be preserved, she says in her petition.

Her request comes alongside another submitted this week by the Greater Astoria Historical Society, which asked LPC to landmark a similar-looking building in Astoria that's also believed to be a former Childs eatery.

Garden City: It's not Queens

From CBS 2:

The Victorian gem in Garden City is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but that designation does not protect it from the wrecking ball.

“To lose this type of history to Garden City would be a shame,” said Michael Raab of the Nassau County Office of Housing and Community Development. “It is one of the Stewart homes.”

For months, there were no takers for the 133-year-old home. The Garden City Historical Society was devastated at the thought of losing it, and caught the attention of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.

Mangano asked Raab to begin pulling together volunteers, and dozens came aboard to offer to donate their time and services.

“It is a heartwarming project to be able to help a potential veteran in need of housing,” said Michael Pfeiffer of the Nassau County Habitat for Humanity.

If the plan works, expert volunteers will actually lift the house, put it on hydraulic flatbeds, and slowly roll it to Mitchell Field.

Effort underway to protect Childs Restaurant facade

From DNA Info:

A 1920s-era building on Broadway that was once home to one of the nation's earliest restaurant chains is under renovation, sparking concern from a local historical group that wants to make sure its exterior is preserved.

The former Childs Restaurant building at 36-01 Broadway is recognizable for its ornate facade of nautical-themed terra cotta figures.

But those details are currently concealed behind scaffolding as crews renovate the property to combine it with a shop next door — prompting worries about the future of the unique architecture.

"It's just a beautiful gem of a building," said Bob Singleton of the Greater Astoria Historical Society. "When people walk up and down that street they look at that, they instinctively look at that building."

The owners of the property — that was most recently occupied by a Rite Aid — are combining the now vacant space with the DII discount shop next door to it, according to Morris Dweck, who works for the variety store chain.

The company was just made aware of the community's interest in preserving the facade after receiving an email about it on Thursday, Dweck said, and it's still determining what to do to address residents' concerns.

Council set to stick its nose into landmarking process

From the NY Times:

As New York’s Landmarks Law enters its sixth decade, the City Council wants to rewrite the rules governing historic properties.

Despite a contentious fight over a package of revisions that stalled last year, the Council is again proposing a half-dozen recommendations to simultaneously streamline and expand the landmarks process. This month, the Council expects to vote on a bill creating timelines for the approval process.

The Council’s decision has drawn consternation not only among preservationists but also from the Landmarks Preservation Commission itself. At a hearing last year, Meenakshi Srinivasan, the chairwoman of the commission, called a number of the proposed changes overreaching. Ms. Srinivasan declined to discuss new proposals before any legislation was introduced, but acknowledged in a statement that some of the proposals had merit.

Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito countered that the Council wanted to ensure the changes cannot be easily rolled back by future administrations.

“It’s something that’s overdue,” Ms. Mark-Viverito, a Democrat who represents Manhattan and the Bronx, said in a recent interview. “That’s why we’re trying to balance the needs of the preservation community with the development needs of our growing city.”

Hmmm...do we notice the landmarks in this town or the nutty out of scale overdevelopment more? I'd say the balance is tipped in the developers' favor at this point. Which is just the way the council likes it.

Phony preservation rally held by phony elected

From the Times Ledger:

Some of the biggest names in the Long Island City arts community declared war on developers who illegally altered the decorative facade on the Elks Lodge building on 44th Drive Tuesday, one week after neighborhood residents renewed efforts to have the property landmarked.

Artists in LIC don't give a flying rat's ass about preservation, only ice cream money from Jimmy Van Bramer.

“Maybe this building is a line in the sand about how we go about further development here,” Mazda said. “We’ve had a relationship with other developers like Rockrose and TF Cornerstone, who go about things by the rules. Not these Johnny-come-latelies.”

Uh huh.

City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), who organized the rally of artists outside the Elks Lodge Wednesday afternoon, was furious. Last week he wrote to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, urging them to designate the building as a historical landmark.

Time and again, we have seen electeds pretend to care about saving something, only to later find out that they were in cahoots with the developer. But holding a rally means you can shrug your shoulders and say you tried when the building comes down.

The councilman said he would draft two pieces of legislation to discourage developers from illegally altering structures. The first piece would impose significant fines and penalties to any landowner that intentionally alters the facade or any part of a building that is in the process of being landmarked and the second piece would authorize the city to increase the fines if a developer does illegal construction without a permit.

Which will have absolutely no teeth, because sending a letter to LPC doesn't mean the building is "in the process of being landmarked".

How many preservation groups were invited to this rally?

National Trust holds pavilion contest

From DNA Info:

If you have an idea for the historic New York State Pavilion, here's your chance to share it.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is hosting an "anything goes" competition to solicit suggestions for the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park landmark — no matter how far-flung they may seem.

Then they'll pick a winner and...nothing will happen.

Group seeks landmarking for historic co-ops

From DNA Info:

A historical society working to landmark the homes of Dizzy Gillespie and scientist Marie Maynard Daly say they plan also to push to landmark the city’s first integrated cooperative apartments.

The Corona-East Elmhurst Historical Preservation Society say they’re compiling information to request an evaluation to the Landmarks Preservation Society for the Dorie Miller co-ops, on 114th Street between Northern Boulevard and 34th Avenue.

The buildings opened in 1953 and were named for Navy hero Dorie Miller, the first African-American awarded the Navy Cross, by Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

The $2.7 million private development was the city’s first integrated co-ops, according to reports at the time.

Melinda Katz: Where are you?

Schematic of what Steinway Mansion will look like once building project is complete

An open letter to Borough President Melinda Katz from The Friends of Steinway Mansion (Written September 2015):

Dear Madam Borough President,

The Steinways played a pivotal role in making New York as the center of arts and culture. In this spirit, the Friends of Steinway Mansion has proposed that the area around the piano factory and the mansion as a special business zone for the arts and artisans – a place for them to learn their craft and showcase their work.

As this article from a March 2014 edition of the New York Times examines, the arts community in our city is under increasing stress from harsh economics. Space is falling victim to rents. Collaboration is lost to commute times.

Entire segments of the art world in dance and theater are drifting away. Creative people still come here, but their goals of a life in the arts gets more elusive with each passing year.
What will happen to New York's role as a world leader in arts and as a tourist destination? What will happen if our city loses our arts community?

The Friends of Steinway Mansion calls for the Borough President to consider the Steinway Arts District and make the mansion a centerpiece of this dream. Those 11 ‘warehouses’? How about artist workspace?

Any other borough would jump at this opportunity. Why not Queens? Are you not a patron of the arts?

We would be happy to discuss this Madam Borough President. We are just a phone call away.

The Friends of Steinway Mansion
_____________________________________________

Letter to Melinda Katz (Written November 2015):

Dear Madam President,

I would like to make you aware of a disturbing decision made by the Landmarks Preservation Commission with regard to the status of Old St. James Episcopal Parish Hall, located at 86-02 Broadway in Elmhurst, one of the oldest and most historic buildings in Queens. Attached is the response from Mary Beth Betts, director of research at the LPC, to a request for evaluation submitted by State Senator Tony Avella at Newtown Historical Society’s request. In this letter, Ms. Betts cites the building’s alteration and “re-creation” in 2004 as the cause of rejection. This rationale is patently false and dishonest, as I will prove below.

Some background on the building: It was originally built in 1735 and was attended by some of the earliest families living in Newtown, such as the Moores and Seaburys. It was remodeled in 1883 and completely restored by the Landmarks Conservancy in 2004. A detailed history can be found on this website: tinyurl.com/oldstjames. A passage from this narrative:

In 1963, the Post Office wanted to buy Old St. James to tear it down for a new post office. The church rejected their offer. In a letter written that year, they cited the historic importance of the church. Today, the building is used as a community center, hosting meetings of groups such as the Boy Scouts, AA, veterans groups, and church services by smaller congregations.

In 2004, the church got a necessary restoration. The project, which cost $430,000, included a $150,000 loan from the Landmarks Conservancy. The building got a new rood, the cedar siding was restored, as were the wooden windows and the eaves and brackets. The 1883 decorative bracketing on the gables, which had been removed, was restored, as well, bringing the building back to its 1880s appearance. The project architect was Kaitsen Woo, and his general contractor was 53 Restorations, Inc. The Conservancy awarded the project with its Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award. Thanks to the stubbornness of St. James, and the desire by the Elmhurst community to preserve an important part of Queens history, this building is with us to enjoy today.

Once again – restored – not re-created, and almost entirely with taxpayer funds a mere 11 years ago. The minimum age for a building to qualify for designation is 30 years. Old St. James Parish Hall’s 1883 remodeling exceeds that by 153 years.

This rejection is a slap in the face to the NYS Historic Preservation Office, which not only has placed this property on the National Register of Historic Places, but reviewed, approved, and funded its $430K restoration, finding it met the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. Even if there is little 18th century fabric at the exterior, the 19th century fabric is nothing to sneeze at – especially since the asbestos shingle was removed and the trim restored (additionally, existing shingle siding, while not holding paint very well, IS the original 19th century shingle, and not a modern replacement).

And furthermore, even if this WAS a re-creation as claimed by Ms. Betts, there have been several other structures that were completely demolished and rebuilt yet still were designated NYC landmarks by the LPC – including the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan. Neither of these contains its original fabric and neither was rebuilt in the exact same style.

With the emphasis lately on expanding tourism in the borough and in light of the 50th anniversary of the Landmarks Law, it would be a shame to lose this engaging piece of Queens history that is appreciated by natives, immigrants and tourists alike. The rejection of one of the most historic sites in our borough by the LPC is an arbitrary and capricious action that cannot be taken lightly and we ask for your intervention to help save it.

Thank you.

Christina Wilkinson
President
Newtown Historical Society

There doesn't seem to have been a response from Borough Hall to either of these letters. But there's a lot of this being spread around:

State of the Borough: "The NYS Pavilion got a paint job, so the preservation of Queens is complete. Vibrant! Diverse!"

Group seeks to preserve burnt Elmhurst historic house

Greg Carriero via Facebook

From the Queens Ledger:

“Our goal is to save the oldest surviving farmhouse in Elmhurst and the most historically significant, and possibly move it to a park or empty lot,” she said. “Newtown was one of the first communities in Queens, and this home is well known by locals and is the subject of historical Elmhurst tours.”

Ideally, Giampino would like to see the home restored and revitalized as Elmhurst’s first house museum and cultural and historical institution.

“This would be a great way to get the community’s youth and all ages involved,” she said. “It is extremely important to show our beginnings and how far we have come as one of the most multiculturally diverse neighborhoods in the U.S.”

On September 21, the Newtown Civic Association coordinated a public meeting, sparking the interest of local volunteers. Over the past few years, the civic attempted to preserve the early 20th century Andrew Carnegie library on Broadway, but now a new library is rising in its place.

Anyone get in touch with Karl McNamara?