Sunnyside Arch Lacks Kitsch, Says Commission

The Sunnyside Arch, on Queens Boulevard at 46th/Bliss Street, below the No. 7 elevated station, is perhaps an object only Sunnyside could love; therefore, Sunnyside might be forced to defend it against the Municipal Art Commission of the City of New York, which evidently wishes it would fall apart or be torn down.

At the November luncheon meeting of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, Joseph Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, told the chamber members he had recently attended a commission hearing that looked into the case of the arch. Those who would preserve it have money in abeyance for needed repairs, but the Art Commission, which has existed since the consolidation of the city in 1898, must approve of such repairs. Conley said that the Art Commission had nothing but disdain for the arch, and suggested that those interested in preserving it should get an artist to redesign it. Somebody from the commission told him the arch should be more "kitschy"- a term he said he could not understand. And though the arch may be shabby at the moment, it is not dilapidated; the Department of Transportation inspected it, Conley said, and declared it "overbuilt", so its basic structure is sound.

Conley had more to say about other matters, the police made a report and had their usual holiday warnings, an officer of a new tennis club was introduced and an official from a state agency revealed that many in attendance had more money than they thought they had.

The crime report from the 108th Police Precinct, delivered by Officer Maro Youssef, was mainly positive but did include two negative facts: the number of reported robberies doubled in the past month, while grand larcenies declined only slightly.

In other news from the precinct, Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Thomas Kavanagh is still indisposed and has yet to make a general appearance displaying his new rank. Executive Officer Joseph DeBartolomeo is standing in as commander.

Detective Glenn Yule, formerly of the 108th but now of Patrol Borough Queens North, was at the luncheon to warn about thieves who will be out preying on Christmas shoppers again this year. He said some of those crooks mount stakeouts in parking lots, observing shoppers who load their cars with gift packages and then go back for further shopping. When that occurs, these thieves can then break into the cars and make off with the goods. Yule suggested that shoppers who bring packages back to their cars should move to another part of the lot- but by all means provide concealment for the packages.

Officer Juan Toro put in a few words for the Auxiliary Police (one of whom was present at the luncheon), saying that he had joined them in The Bronx as a teenager and had always found their work helpful to the main force, which he later joined.

Conley spoke on a few other subjects in addition to the Sunnyside Arch. First of all, the fence and vacant lot at 46-11 Queens Blvd. continue to cause local irritation. Conley said the fence should be taken down and moved back to the property line, or perhaps a community garden could be planted in the lot. The property owner shows no inclination to build on the vacant space, which is the partial result of a fire several years ago that destroyed a Korean fruit and vegetable stand and a large Korean restaurant and social hall.

Conley mentioned the food vendors selling beneath the elevated stations, to the consternation of local storeowners. Conley said they do not need a license from the Department of Consumer Affairs, merely one from the Department of Health.

City View Racquet is the name of the enterprise now on the roof of the old Swingline Building on Skillman Avenue. Its principal officer, Joseph Shabot, was at the luncheon to say that he has been trying to get off to a good start, through such effort as getting in touch with CityParks Foundation about a scholarship program for young people interested in learning how to play tennis, and making contact also with Aviation H. S. and the YMCA, both nearby on Queens Boulevard.

A representative of the New York State Controller's Office of Unclaimed Funds was present with computer, offering to look up the names of luncheon guests to see if they have bank funds that are seemingly unused. If such funds are not claimed eventually, they are declared abandoned and assumed by the state. It is the controller's duty to alert the populace that they may be letting money get away. An astonishing fact: among the luncheon attendees were 11 persons who were helped to discover funds they had forgotten.