New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Jackson Heights Historic District tlm (Cuurt lirksmi ^eu;l|ts, Jfrh ^*rk October 19, 1993 New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission JACKSON HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT Prepared by the Research Department, Marjorie Pearson, Director Editors: Elisa Urbanelli, Research Department Editor Anthony W. Robins, Director of Special Projects Research/Writing: Luella Adams James T. Dillon Joseph Brooks, Ph.D. Patricia Garbe Donald Presa Anthony W. Robins Graphics: Richard Brotherton Report Layout: Marion Cleaver The Landmarks Preservation Commission Laurie Beckelman, Chair Sarah Bradford Landau, Vice-Chair William E. Davis Rev. Thomas F. Pike Ulrich Franzen Stephen Raphael Jack S. Freeman Vicki Match Suna Hui Mei Grove Charles Sachs Commissioners I In memory of Luella Adams whose survey and research work proved invaluable to the creation of the Jackson Heights Historic District ( IE as 3n' I! ers. B O o 55 § §• o vo 3 - 'I O \g J U 3 u> 3 gM3T o L 57-57. J 7-59 79™ ST 97-55 M-27 I I Jjjgfr 34-Ig 80™ ST J>-(5 z 9 o 3D 1 »»-ifr ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The study of a potential historic district in the Jackson Heights area required the participation of many people over the course of several years. In 1987 Gene A. Norman, then Chairman, directed the Commission's Survey Department to undertake a survey of Queens Community Board 3 which includes Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona. This work was undertaken largely by Survey staff member Luella Adams and resulted in a report presented to the Commission, containing recommendations for potential historic districts and individual landmarks within the area of the Community Board. These recommendations were further reviewed by the Research Department. Commissioners began a series of field trips to and discussions of a potential Jackson Heights Historic District in 1990. The Commission subsequently calendared and heard at public hearing, under Chair Laurie Beckelman, a Jackson Heights Historic District. Following the public hearing, the Survey Department staff was directed to complete the research and prepare a draft designation report for the proposed district. Also participating in this effort was James T. Dillon of the Research Department. The Commission wishes to express its thanks to the Jackson Heights Beautification Group for additional research help and for enabling Warren Shaw to photograph the buildings throughout the historic district. Thanks also to Thomas Langan, a long-time employee of the Queensboro Corporation, for making available his collection of historic photographs, brochures, and other printed material regarding Jackson Heights. TESTIMONY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING 1 JACKSON HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT BOUNDARIES 1 INTRODUCTION 3 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR DEVELOPMENT IN JACKSON HEIGHTS 7 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF JACKSON HEIGHTS 13 THE ARCHITECTURE OF JACKSON HEIGHTS 21 ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 1. Plan of the Home and Tower Buildings, 1876-79 39 Fig. 2. "Dumbbell" plan by James E. Ware 40 Fig. 3. Plan of the City and Suburban Homes Company, Avenue A (York Avenue) Estate 41 Fig. 4. Yorkship Village, Camden, N.J. pectus D. Litchfield, c. 1918) . 42 Fig. 5. Union Park Gardens, Wilmington, Del. (Ballinger & Perrot, c. 1918) 43 Fig. 6. Edward A. McDougall (1874-1924), c. 1928 44 Fig. 7. View of the Queensboro Corp.'s undeveloped land, c. 1909 45 Fig. 8. Rowhouses (Charles Peck, 1911), east side of 83rd Street 46 Fig. 9. Laurel Court (George H. Wells, 1913-14) in c. 1916 47 Fig. 10. Willow Court (George H. Wells, 1915) in c. 1916 48 Fig. 11. Plan of Charlottenburg II Project (1907-09) 49 Fig. 12. 12 Hyde Park Place, London (Frank T. Verity, 1902-03) 50 Fig. 13. Plymouth Apartments (1916, George H. Wells) 51 Fig. 14. Floor plan of Plymouth Apartments 52 Fig. 15. Floor plan of Willow Court 53 Fig. 16. Greystone Apartments (George H. Wells, 1916-18), c. 1925 54 Fig. 17. Original plan of Linden Court (Andrew J. Thomas, 1919-21) 55 Fig. 18. Linden Court, c. 1925 56 Fig. 19. Hawthorne Court (George H. Wells, 1921-22), entrance detail, c. 1940 57 Fig. 20. Laburnum Court (George H. Wells, 1921-22), c. 1925 58 Fig. 21. Cambridge Court (George H. Wells, 1922), c. 1925 59 Fig. 22. View looking east on 34th Avenue, c. 1935 60 Fig. 23. Spanish Gardens (Andrew J. Thomas, 1924-26), c. 1935 . 61 Fig. 24. Plan for the Chateau (Andrew J. Thomas, 1922), c. 1921-22 62 Fig. 25. View looking south from the Towers showing a three-block long vista of the interior gardens of the Towers, the Chateau, and the Greystone Apartments, c. 1930 63 Fig. 26. Society of Cooperative Enterprises, Paris, illustration 64 Fig. 27. Garden Homes (C.F. & D.E. McAvoy, 1925) c. 1926 65 Fig. 28. Garden Homes (C.F. & D.E. McAvoy, 1926) c. 1926 66 Fig. 29. Garden Homes (C.L. Varrone, 1926) 67 Fig. 30. Garden Homes (Robert Tappan, 1926-27), c. 1930 68 Fig. 31. Plymouth Houses (Pierce Kiesewetter, 1928) 69 Fig. 32. Fillmore Hall (E. Adelsohn, 1930) in c. 1935, before rooftop alterations 70 Fig. 33. Georgian Hall (E. Adelsohn, 1930-31) in 1931 71 Fig. 34. Dunolly Gardens (Andrew J. Thomas, 1939), view of interior garden c. 1940 ... 72 Fig. 35. Community Methodist Church (F.P. Piatt, 1920-23), c. 1925 73 Fig. 36. St. Joan of Arc R.C. Church (W.A. Schlusing, 1949-51) 74 Fig. 37. U.S. Post Office, Jackson Heights (Benjamin C. Flournoy, 1936-37) 75 Fig. 38. Queensboro Corporation Headquarters (Morrell Smith, 1928) c. 1935 76 NORTHERN BOULEVARD South Side 75 34TH AVENUE North Side 76 South Side 77 35TH AVENUE North Side 83 South Side 90 37TH AVENUE North Side 99 South Side 106 ROOSEVELT AVENUE North Side 114 76TH STREET 115 East Side 115 77TH STREET East Side 117 West Side 119 78TH STREET East Side 120 West Side 125 79TH STREET East Side 127 West Side 133 80TH STREET East Side 134 West Side 141 81ST STREET East Side 142 West Side 145 82ND STREET East Side 147 West Side 159 83RD STREET East Side 165 West Side 174 84TH STREET East Side , 181 West Side 188 85TH STREET East Side 190 West Side 197 86TH STREET East Side 198 West Side 205 87TH STREET East Side 208 West Side 216 88TH STREET West Side 221 FINDINGS AND DESIGNATION 226 TESTIMONY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING On December 4, 1990, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing in the auditorium of Intermediate School 145, 33-34 80th Street, Jackson Heights, Queens, on the proposed designation of the Jackson Heights Historic District (Item No. 12). The hearing had been duly advertised in accordance with the provisions of law. Fifty people offered testimony in support of the proposed designation, including representatives of Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, State Assembly members Helen Marshall and Ivan C. Lafayette, Congressman Tom Manley, and Community Board 3, the Jackson Heights Beautification Group, the Queensborough Preservation League, the Historic Districts Council, and the Municipal Art Society. Many residents and property owners within the proposed historic district expressed support for the designation. Seven speakers expressed opposition to the inclusion of any religious structures within the historic district; five expressed concerns about the effects of designation on building maintenance; and one spoke against the designation of the entire district. The Commission has received many letters expressing support for the designation of the historic district. A few letters have been received opposing designation of the historic district or the inclusion of certain properties within the historic district. JACKSON HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT BOUNDARIES The Jackson Heights Historic District in the Borough of Queens consists of the property bounded by a line beginning at the southeast corner of the intersection of 78th Street and 34th Avenue, then extending southerly along the eastern curbline of 78th Street, westerly along the southern curbline of 35th Avenue, soudierly along the eastern curbline of 77th Street, westerly across 77th Street, westerly along the northern property lines of 35-14 77th Street and 35-13 76th Street, southerly along the eastern curbline of 76th Street, easterly along the southern property lines of 35-55 76th Street and 35-56 77th Street, easterly across a portion of 77th Street, southerly along a line extending to the eastern curbline of 77th Street beginning at the southeast corner of 77th Street and 37th Avenue, southerly along the eastern curbline of 77th Street, easterly along the southern property line of 37-01 78th Street (a/k/a 78-02 37th Avenue/37-02 79th Street), easterly across 78th Street, southerly along the eastern curbline of 78th Street, easterly along the southern property lines of 37-57 78th Street and 37-58 79th Street, easterly across 79th Street, easterly along the southern property lines of 37-55 79th Street and 37-52-37-56 80th Street, northerly along the western curbline of 80th Street, easterly across 80th Street, easterly and northerly along the southern and eastern property lines of 37-15-37-21 80th Street, easterly along the southern property line of 37-20-37-22 81st Street, northerly along the western curbline of 81st Street, easterly across 81st Street, easterly along the southern property lines of 81-02-81-28 37th Avenue (a/k/a 37-01-37-09 81st Street/37-06-37-10 82nd Street), southerly along the western property lines of 37-12- 37-34 82nd Street through 37-70 82nd Street (a/k/a 81-11-81-19 Roosevelt Avenue), easterly along the northern curbline of Roosevelt Avenue, northerly along the eastern property line of 82-01 Roosevelt Avenue (a/k/a 37-61—37-67 82nd Street), easterly along