If Only It Was Landmarked…

By Michael Perlman

Howard Johnson's with the Trylon & Perisphere, 1939 World's Fair, Courtesy of Rego-Forest Preservation Council

Landmarks come in all styles and forms and are in the eyes of the majority of the public, but that is not enough to preserve historic and character-enriching buildings, districts, or monuments, and rescue them from significant alterations or demolition. Therefore, the public has the tools to advocate for the establishment of an Individual Landmark (façade), Historic Districts, Interior Landmark, or Scenic Landmark by submitting a Request For Evaluation (RFE) form to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), which may calendar properties for a public hearing to determine their eligibility.

The Landmarks Law was a gift to the people when signed in 1965 by Mayor Robert Wagner, in response to countless protestors whose pleas to halt the demolition of the original Beaux Arts Pennsylvania Station fell upon deaf ears.

A landmark is required to be at least 30 years old. The LPC states, “According to the Landmarks Law, the purpose of safeguarding the buildings and places that represent New York City's cultural, social, economic, political, and architectural history is to stabilize and improve property values, foster civic pride, protect and enhance the City's attractions to tourists, strengthen the economy of the City, and promote the use of historic districts, landmarks, interior landmarks, and scenic landmarks for the education, pleasure and welfare of the people of the City.”

Forest Hills (founded 1906) currently has three official landmarks, Remsen Cemetery (designated 1981), Ridgewood Savings Bank (2000), and Engine 305 & Ladder 151 (2012), whereas Rego Park (founded 1923) has none.

Let’s bear homage to a sample of buildings that would likely achieve landmark status, only if they were still standing. While viewing a photo of a classic building that no longer exists or reminiscing while taking a stroll, the sounds of the wrecking ball can still be heard, but only preservation can offer harmony and character, and a building’s story can continue to evolve. 

Al Jolson's house being prepared for demolition, April 2006, Photo by Jason Steinberg

Al Jolson, nicknamed “The world’s greatest entertainer” was a singer, Vaudeville, and early motion picture star, who owned a Tudor Gothic home at 68-12 110th Street. It was built circa 1925 in a section of Forest Hills developed by Cord Meyer Development Company. The brick façade featured an ornate bay window of stained glass, a distinguishable flagstone sloped roofline, and a corbelled chimney. This home was eyed for landmarking under the LPC’s Community Board 6 January 1990 draft survey, but as a result of the city’s delays, it was demolished in 2006 for a McMansion, which places remaining landmarking candidates in the Cord Meyer area increasingly at risk. 

A mundane black glass office building stands at 95-25 Queens Boulevard in Rego Park, erasing any trace of the 3-story, $300,000 Colonial mansion-like Howard Johnson’s, which was erected in 1939 and presented with a Queens Chamber of Commerce architectural award in 1940 . Its distinctive façade featured sculptures, ornamental cast stone, pilasters, a portico, and shutters, and was topped with a cupola. It was advertised as “The largest roadside restaurant in the U.S.” with 1,000 seats, and was designed by the chain’s chief architect, Joseph G. Morgan and owned by Howard D. Johnson. 

A freestanding Art Deco sign boasted 28 ice cream flavors such as chocolate chip and burgundy cherry ice cream, as well as a grille and cocktail lounge. The 1939 World’s Fair’s esteemed seafood chef Pierre Franey was at your service. Weddings were held in the Colonial Room and Empire Room. Regal appointments included crystal chandeliers, a winding grand staircase, and murals by the famed Andre Durenceau. It was the end of an era in 1974 due to standardization and changing tastes for fast food. 

1939 World's Fair Gulf Service Station, Queens Blvd & Horace Harding Blvd, Courtesy of Rego-Forest Preservation Council

Rego Park once had its own version of the Empire State Building, as in a streamlined glass block Art Deco tower of the Gulf Station on the northeast corner of Queens Boulevard and Horace Harding Boulevard. A curved façade with curved windows and stainless steel accents were among the other novelty features, since nearby service stations exhibited Tudor and Mediterranean influences. It was erected by John J. Meehan Construction Company for Gulf Oil Company. 

It was deemed futuristic, coinciding with the 1939 – 1940 World’s Fair’s “World of Tomorrow” theme, and was conveniently situated en route to the Fair when Horace Harding Boulevard was briefly known as World’s Fair Boulevard. The Gulf Station earned a 1st prize award by the Queens Chamber of Commerce in the commercial construction category. The site was redeveloped in 1987 when the 17-story Queens Boulevard Tower opened at 92-29 Queens Boulevard. 

Roman Avenue now 72nd Avenue rowhouses, Forest Hills, circa 1910, Courtesy of Rego-Forest Preservation Council

On 72nd Avenue, formerly Roman Avenue, between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard, an assemblage of ten Neo-Renaissance rowhouses once stood on parallel sides, recalling a more humble time, when Austin Street and nearby streets were nicknamed “The Village.” As of 2018, only two rowhouses remained at 108-11 and 108-19 72nd Avenue, and an out-of-context 7-stoy building is slated to rise between them. 

A plaque states, “This marker denotes the first assemblage of residential structures, still extant, erected in Forest Hills. Built in 1906, they were the beginnings of this historic, beautiful community.” They housed Forest Hills’ first plumber, electrician, and carpenter. The rowhouses were erected by Cord Meyer Development Company which named Forest Hills, and they were designed by a prominent architect, Benjamin Dreisler. Prior to 1906, Forest Hills was known as Whitepot, consisting solely of farmland.

Distinctive features are unique low-rise stoops, bowed fronts of red brick and limestone, bedrock bases, a lion gargoyle, and a variation in cornice and lintel detail, which made no two exactly alike but harmonious. Similar rowhouses were more prevalent in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but with traditional high stoops. Central Queens Historical Association, chaired by historian Jeff Gottlieb, led a dedication ceremony in 1991 for their 85th anniversary, and in 2006, the site was re-dedicated to commemorate the rowhouses’ 100th anniversary, synonymous with Forest Hills’ 100th anniversary. 

Drake Theatre, Rego Park, Courtesy of Cinema Treasures

Saxon Hall at 62-60 99th Street was renamed The Drake, and although it is praiseworthy to pay tribute, it is even more beneficial to preserve the original building. The Rego Park and Middle Village communities were once largely served by the Drake Theatre at 62-90 Woodhaven Boulevard. This 585-seat Art Deco theater movie opened in 1935 in a growing community, twelve years after Rego Park’s founding, and was designed by Charles A. Sandblom. It was mainly a second-run double bill theater. 

Theaters, whether large of small, were spaces which united the community regardless of social status. They were designed to offer a memorable experience with fine architectural features, making patrons feel welcomed and offered a temporary escape from reality. After the Drake shuttered in 1992, Joe Abbracciamento Restaurant, a NYC institution established in 1948, expanded into much of the building. The façade and sections of the interior were preserved until 2016, when the site was demolished for a mundane condo.

Forest Hills Before Time: Discover The History of Whitepot

Forest Hills residents shop and dine on Austin Street, patronize the Midway Theatre, may stroll through the Forest Hills Gardens, and may have graduated from Forest Hills High School. These are some of the “landmarks” which grant character to “Forest Hills.” Now one may be at loss for words if they walked in the footsteps of their ancestors, just over a century ago.

Encounter a land called “Whitepot,” which was predominantly occupied by wood-frame farm houses and fields of crops, with “landmarks” on a humble scale. In the early 20^th century, some homes were up to 200 years of age. Today there are none.

As of 1924, a survey was conducted by local resident Lucy Allen Smart. Colonial farmhouses were typically situated on large parcels of land, and exhibited any combination of a porch, pitched roof, and shutters. The Whitson Homestead, built in 1800, still stood on Queens Boulevard, steps away from Backus Place. It became the residence of John E. Backus. Also along Queens Boulevard was the McCoun-Backus House, which was recognized as one of the best homes of Whitepot at 160 years old. It was demolished a decade earlier. The Boulevard also offered the Horatio N. Squire House, which was demolished after 150 years in 1923.  

McCoun-Backus House

 

Judge Jonathan T. Furman House

The Judge Jonathan T. Furman House dating to 1750 stood on Dry Harbor Road, which ended in a cluster of farms facing a large pond. Situated on the property of Cord Meyer Development Company was the Jarvis Jackson Homestead, built a century earlier. Walking over to Remsen Lane, a noteworthy site for the birth of Clarence P. Tompkins was the Joseph J. Tompkins House. A 200 year-old survivor was known as “The house on the Abram Furman Estate,” and was on the east side of what was called Yellowstone Avenue (now Yellowstone Boulevard). 

 In 1652, Newtown was settled by Englishmen from New England, and Whitepot was one of its sections. An early 20^th century debate was whether Forest Hills was originally known as Whitepot or Whiteput. If it was spelled “Whitepot,” it would bear relevance to the original purchase of the land from the Indians in exchange for three clay white pots. That was refuted by J.H. Innes, who told the publication “Ancient Landmarks of Queens Borough,” that the authentic spelling was “Whiteput.” If correct, the land would be named in conjunction with the Dutch term “put” for a stream that became a hollow pit.

Whitepot consisted of six farms, which were named after Ascan Backus, Casper-Joost Springsteen, Horatio N. Squire, Abram V.S. Lott, Sarah V. Bolmer, and James Van Siclen. In 1829, Ascan Backus acquired parcels of Whitepot’s farmland, which benefited Manhattan’s produce needs and army purchases during the Civil War. Ascan Avenue bears homage to his name.

The oldest living member of one of the first families was Frederick D. Backus, who told Lucy Allen Smart about Whitepot’s residents. He stated, “The neighbors were few when I was a boy, and some that lived a mile away we called neighbors. The farmers raised hay, grain, and vegetables to supply the New York markets. Fruit and nuts were in abundance, and every farmer would take his apples to a cider mill, which was located on the Hempstead Swamp Road; now Yellowstone Avenue. The children attended the Whitepot School, but we all had to go to Newtown to church.” He also explained that since few homes had ice houses come summer, food was kept cool by hanging them in wells and tin pails. In the winter, oxen were driven through snow drifts along narrow roads.

The area bounded by Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike was the Hopedale section of Whitepot. The Hopedale Railway Station stood near that intersection, and the architecturally distinct Hopedale Hall accommodated dining and dancing.

In 1900, the New York Times reported Whitepot’s population as 30, and consisting of German residents who plant potatoes and celery. In 1906, Cord Meyer Development Company purchased 600 acres in the Hopedale section, and renamed it “Forest Hills” after its high elevation of Long Island and proximity to Forest Park. In March 1931, George Meyer, son of the late Cord Meyer told the New York Times, “Roman Avenue between Queens Boulevard and Austin was the first street to be cut through, and on it, the company started its first building operations, ten two-family brick homes.” Today, only 4 Neo-Renaissance rowhouses remain from 1906, and are reminiscent of the first signs of development under the Forest Hills name.

The only known remnant of Whitepot is the landmarked Remsen Cemetery between Trotting Course Lane and Alderton Street. The Remsen family was among the area’s first settlers. Tombstones range from 1790 through 1819, and include Revolutionary War Veteran Colonel Jeromus Remsen. 

Remsen Farm House with caption courtesy of Historian Bill Safka

Let’s continue to seek signs of our Colonial past, while preserving our 20^th century landmarks.

Please read Michael Perlman's column with the Forest Hills Times/Queens Ledger for more stories which document and commemorate Forest Hills and Rego Park history and architecture: http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/24088871/article-Before-there-was-a-Forest-Hills

Interview with Jonathan Camhi: "Developing A Pest Problem"

As Chairman of Rego-Forest Preservation Council and as Queens VP of the Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance amongst other organizations, I was presented with the opportunity to work with Jonathan Camhi, a student of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is assigned a semester beat on Forest Hills. I led him on a walking tour, explaining the overall history of neighborhoods such as the Austin St business and residential district, the Forest Hills Gardens, Forest Hills South, Van Court, Queens Blvd, and more, and also explained dominant 20th century architectural patterns and landmark-worthy sites. One of the most pressing issues is the endangerment of the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, and the campaign I am spearheading on behalf of Rego-Forest Preservation Council, to grant landmark status and creative reuse. This topic has been an integral part of Jonathan Camhi's semester project. During the third week in October, I sat down with him, and he interviewed me for the CUNY blog. This is our interview:

Source: http://thomaslin.journalism.cuny.edu/2010/10/22/developing-a-pest-problem/

Developing a Pest Problem

Posted on October 22, 2010 by Jonathan Camhi

The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, currently under threat from developers.

Forest Hills in Queens is an affluent community which has long been desirable real estate for developers who want to build there. Conflict arises though when developers come in and demolish some of the community’s older historic structures to make way for new developments. Lately Cord Meyer Development Company has been trying to purchase and demolish the community’s most prestigious icon: the 14,000-seat Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, the former home of the US Tennis Open, which is owned by the West Side Tennis Club. Michael Perlman is President of the Rego-Forest Preservation Council and fights to save local landmarks from greedy developer’s bulldozers, and I spoke with him recently about this struggle.

Q:  Cord Meyer has a lot of history in Forest Hills, there’s a whole section of the neighborhood named after the company.  Why do you think a company that’s such a part of the community here, and has such history here, wants to tear down the community’s most renowned monument?

A: I was reading on a local blog that the people who originated Cord Meyer development were all within a close-knit family, and it was a family corporation. And now generations passed on, and the last family member has wound up getting out of the business. In essence, they may have the same name but they have different ideals: 2010 lego ideals.

Q:  I heard in one of the blogs that Cord Meyer said that their offer [for the tennis stadium] is still on the table.

A: I think that Kenneth Parker [President of the West Side Tennis Club] and the club’s board members' November 15th deadline for a new proposal for the stadium is really an offer to Cord Meyer.

Q: Cord Meyer is obviously one example of a larger problem, which is that Forest Hills is a really nice neighborhood where they want to buy land, but when they don’t always adhere to the community’s desires. What are some examples of this?

A: Relating to 72nd Avenue between Austin St. and Queens Blvd., there are Forest Hills' earliest Neo-Renaissance rowhouses on opposites sides of the street (1906). Four of these have been demolished in recent years by one developer, one by one. Some interests are mostly from outside Forest Hills, and it’s a shame they don’t want to work with our community closer and respect its history. Another example, not of developers, but is the tenant of the former Trylon movie theater. In 2005, I remember walking by and seeing jackhammers smashing its Trylon Monument-adorned mosaic tiles, inspired by the 1939 World's Fair. Now it’s just another banal box. It really reduces property values.

Q: What do you think should be done to make developers respect the community and look at the greater picture?

A: I feel that communities that have a sense of place should be commemorated with historic district status, and those communities should be subject to the Landmarks Law. Everything would be subject to a public hearing, and take into account the majority of the citizens.

Click here for Perlman’s blog.