Historic District

A copy of the following letter, which was previously sent to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Queens Borough Hall and the City Council, was received by the Gazette.

To The Editor:

I am writing to express strong support for designation of Sunnyside Gardens as an official New York City Historic District. Sunnyside Gardens is presently a National Register Historic District, recognized as a significant model of urban planning. It is a charming and serene enclave, noted for its architecturally consistent and distinct majority of row houses with communal gardens. A perfect complement is its harmonious apartment dwellings and neighboring parkland.

Early 20th century urban planners and architects had a vision, and were inspired by the English Garden City movement. Developers reserved large areas for open space, incorporated unique architectural touches, minimized construction costs and created affordable housing. They achieved their goals by placing the community firsthand, unlike various developers of recent years in Queens.Without a designation of all of the above features, the cohesiveness of a prime neighborhood remains at risk.

As Landmark records prove, Queens is malnourished when it comes to historic districts and individual landmarks. On behalf of Queens residents, preservationists, historians and civics, a greater amount of time and resources needs to be allocated for a highly deserving but presently lacking borough.

Please calendar Sunnyside Gardens for a public hearing in the shortest timespan possible, so it can continue to be a welcoming presence, and a model that will also inspire generations to come. This will be one step closer towards granting Queens what it deserves, fulfilling a promise to designate more sites and districts outside of Manhattan, and ultimately enhancing our quality of life. I also encourage working with Sunnysidebased community groups in the future to consider the designation of highly intact early period Art Deco and Tudor residential and commercial buildings throughout Sunnyside.
Sincerely,
Michael Perlman
Rego-Forest Preservation Council, Chair