REAL ESTATE Bayside Tudor apartment complex becomes city landmark BY LIAM LA GUERRE [email protected]/@LiamLaGuerre Community members in Bayside no longer have to worry about the possible overdevelopment or radical changes to a collection of artfully designed Tudor apartments. The City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LCP) voted unanimously on Nov. 25 to landmark the Hawthorne Court Apartments, which are located on the corner of 216th Street and 43rd Avenue. Designed by respected architect Benjamin Braunstein, the Tudor-style homes were built in 1930 and 1931. The architect arranged the homes into two groups with varying sizes, surrounding a courtyard. “This charming and ornate complex is a fi ne example of the Tudor Revival style, and provides a critical narrative of Bayside’s transformation to a commuter suburb after the completion of the railroad tunnel to Manhattan in 1910,” LPC Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan said. It is not the fi rst time the Hawthorne Court Apartment buildings have received recognition for their architecture. In 1931, the Queens Chamber of Commerce selected the homes for an award for “excellence in design and civic value.” GOT A HOT REAL ESTATE STORY IN QUEENS? Contact Liam La Guerre Guerre Real Estate Editor EMAIL: [email protected] TWITTER: @liamlaguerre Renderings courtesy of The Continental Park SEE IT: Remodeled Elmhurst co-op The Continental Park selling fast BY LIAM LA GUERRE [email protected]/@LiamLaGuerre Demand is high for remodeled luxury co-op apartments in The Continental Park building in Elmhurst, which opened for sales in October. Thirty of the 79 renovated units are already in contract after just six weeks, according to representatives of the building, although construction on the property won’t be completed until next year. The speed of the sales refl ects a demand for spacious units in high-traffi c areas, according to project manager Meredith Fisher Maltby. Also, with some 500-squarefoot studios starting around $200,000, and 1,200-squarefoot three-bedrooms at just over $500,000, the price is very attractive to residents when compared to other neighborhoods. However, there are no more one- or three-bedroom units remaining for sale. Two-bedrooms, which range from approximately 830 square feet to more than 1,050 square feet, start from $347,500. All home sizes will feature full kitchens, and many of the residences have large private outdoor terraces and washer and dryer hook-ups. The six-story building, originally known as The Continental, opened in the 1960s as a rental building with 153 units. Some units became co-ops in the ’80s, and there are still a number of rent stabilized apartments throughout the building. A team of real estate investors, including Myles Horn, ABC Properties and Fisher Associates, bought 79 unsold units throughout the building last year for $8.5 million, a portion of which is being used to renovate the building’s common areas. There will be a new private park, a playground, a redesigned lobby and entrance, a community room for tenants, a gym and a new recreation room. The hallways are also being redone for the building. Representatives said they expect tenants to move into some completed units by February, but the full renovation will be completed by the summer. Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission Hawthorne Court
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