FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com APRIL 21, 2016 • The Queens Courier 3 LIC’s historic Elks Lodge, in the grips of developers, will not be landmarked By Angela Mat ua amatua@qns.com/@AngelaMatua A group of residents and elected officials that have been working to landmark a decades-old Elks Lodge in Long Island City were told by the Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) last week that their efforts had been exhausted. In a letter to Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, the LPC Commissioner Meenakshi Srinivasan said the property, located at 21-42 44th Dr., did not merit landmark status because of its “comparative lack of historic and architectural significance relative to other landmarked clubhouses.” The LPC examined the building earlier last year and made the same determination. They reevaluated their decision again after the Greater Astoria Historical Society provided their historical findings to the LPC. Nolan, along with Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, sent letters to the LPC earlier last month asking the agency to evaluate the building for landmark designation. The building was purchased for $8.5 million by Alwest Equities and Planet Partners, which records show are operating as 44th Drive LLC. The developers plan to turn the building into condos. “I am disappointed by the decision of the NYC Landmarks Commission to not landmark the Elks lodge,” Nolan said in a statement. “This building is truly a unique structure and its history deserves to be saved so that future generations of residents of Long Island City and Queens can continue to enjoy it.” On March 8, construction workers were spotted destroying the most historical parts of the building ― the facade. The landmark preservation commission said the Elks Lodge in Long Island City will not be granted landmark status. Van Bramer and residents held a rally to hold the developers, who at that time did not have permits to conduct any demolition, accountable. “Everything that happened here yesterday was illegal,” Van Bramer said at the rally. “All of it was criminal.” According to the Greater Astoria Historical Society, The Queens Elks Lodge Number 878 was built in 1908 and was “one of the most powerful political institutions in Queens for the next half century.” It was altered in 1914 by famous architect Harold Van Buren Magonigle, who worked for Calvert Vaux, the designer of Central Park and was most recently used by the Sheet Metal Workers Union 137 for meetings. “The LPC has maligned one of the most distinguished architects that has lived in New York City,” said Bob Singleton, executive director of the Greater Astoria Historical Society. Singleton said he does not understand the LPC’s reasoning for deciding not to landmark the building and that comparing this Elks Lodge to other landmarked clubhouses is not a metric that he has seen the agency use before. He said pushing for the landmark should have been done “years ago” along with an inventory of the community’s historic fabric. “There are some serious questions about LIC development if we see that there is a strong indication that File photo many things that are happening in Long Island City is not in agreement with Jane Jacobs,” Singleton said. “That should give everyone — residents, elected officials — cause for concern.” Jane Jacobs was a journalist and activist known for her influence on urban studies and the book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities.” Still, he remains optimistic that the community can learn from this experience and can press for responsible development in Long Island City. “I want success for Long Island City,” Singleton said. “We are still upbeat on the community, on its leadership on the business leaders.” Bandit bashes an elderly woman with a tire iron during a robbery in a Whitestone driveway By Robert Pozarycki rpozarycki@qns.com/@robbpoz Detectives continue to search for the tire iron-wielding bandit who robbed and assaulted a 77-year-old woman in the driveway of her Whitestone home on the morning of April 15, authorities said. According to police, the robbery occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on April 15 in the vicinity of Cryders Lane and 157th Street. Law enforcement sources said the victim pulled her vehicle into the driveway after shopping nearby when the suspect — described as a white male in his 50s standing 6 feet tall, weighing 190 pounds with short hair and a medium complexion — approached the driver’s side of her car. Authorities stated that the man knocked on the window and asked the woman if she had seen his purportedly lost pet. Seconds later, he grabbed a wallet out of her hand, then smacked her in the face several times with a tire iron and fled the scene. Officers from the 109th Precinct and EMS units responded to the incident. The victim was removed to North Shore Hospital in Manhasset for treatment of a laceration to her chin. According to posts on the We Love Whitestone Facebook page, police are examining security camera footage from nearby homes in the hope of finding the robber. Residents also claim the suspect fled inside a vehicle with another suspect. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish speakers, dial 888-57-PISTA), visit their website or send a text message to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential. Photo via Google Maps A 77-year-old woman was assaulted and robbed on this block of Cryders Lane in Whitestone.
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