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A building that formerly housed the Jamaica Savings Bank is total landmark bait. It was even called "the finest Beaux-Arts building in Queens" by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. But now the building's current owner may stand in the way of the third attempt to landmark the building.
Built in 1898, the Jamaica Avenue limestone building designed by Hough & Deuell has been up for landmarking twice - and denied twice, after rejections from the Community Board 12 and owner on one occasion in 1974, then Jamaica Savings Bank and the owner's estate in 1991. Now Community Board 12 wants to landmark the building and has been trying to convince owner Morris Cohen to support designation.
CB12 chair Gloria Black confirmed to the Daily News that it's been difficult talking with Cohen, "He's looking out for himself. Rightfully so. It's his property." The downfall with landmarks designation, according to some building owners, is that they must confer with the city each time they need or want to make a change - which can be very costly. Others complain about "preservation perverts" who lurk around their homes trying to look inside.
If the building is not designated a landmark, preservationists are concerned the building might be demolished and, as the Queens Historical Society tells the News, "efforts to landmark other buildings will be badly crippled." City Council member Leroy Comrie may also involve himself in trying to support the designation, although he called the LPC "a bunch of chickens" for placing so much weight on Cohen's opinon.
Interesting enough, the George Jetsons'-esque former Jamaica Savings Bank (now a North Fork) across the street was named a landmark in 2005 (PDF). It's where the JSB moved when they left the Beaux-Arts building.
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I didn't know that building have 'hopes' of landmarking or otherwise. Must be ignorance on my part.
iceberg, you might be right. Perhaps 'status' works!
hey jen,
the designation of the late 60s JSB was overturned by the city council. it is unfortunately not a landmark.
also, i don't think comrie should be highlighted as saying the commission is "a bunch of chickens" as if he's steadfastly behind landmarking. a few paragraphs later in the article he says:
"If Cohen 'can show it's economically unfeasible for him to maintain the building [as a landmark], we have to make sure we don't leave that eyesore for another millennium.'"
so the lpc is chicken for not just designating it but if the owner can't afford (i.e. doesn't want) to keep the building up, then don't designate it? i think comrie's trying to have it both ways.
Technically, it was the Board of Estimate that killed the 1974 designation.
Ironically, the City Council, which replaced the Board of Estimate, killed the designation of the ca. 1966 Jetsons Jamaica Savings Bank in 2005.