Douglaston Historic District Moves Forward

Community Board 11 unanimously voted to support the application of Douglaston Hill for historic district status, bringing the neighborhood one step closer to official landmark status.
"Douglaston Hill is a unique example of a railroad suburb," said Bill Sievers of the Douglaston Little Neck Historical Society, who is spearheading the landmarking drive. The area was first developed from farmland to residential use in 1853, when a farmer named Jeremiah Lambertson subdivided his land in anticipation of the extension of the Long Island Rail Road.
The attractive, upscale enclave is composed mostly of gracious homes built between 1890 and 1930. The rambling peak-roofed houses evoke an earlier time, when life was not so hectic.
Sievers showed the community board a map that outlined the districtwhich includes 34 homes, eight commercial establishments and one churchand is roughly bounded by the Long Island Rail Road, Northern Boulevard, Douglaston Parkway and 243rd Street.
"The overwhelming number of residents support this move," Sievers told those at the meeting, and his words were borne out during the period of public comment, when no one spoke against the plan, but about 15 area residents stood up to show their support for it.
According to Sievers, about 90% of property owners in the district are behind the plan, which would prevent certain modifications to existing structures, but preserve the quiet tree-lined streets as they are for posterityand possibly enhance property values.
"Weve had numerous town meetings," Sievers said. "Weve also displayed the results of our research projects on our website [www.dlnhs.org] as part of our effort to educate people [about the project]." Sievers and others in the neighborhood began seeking landmark status for Douglaston Hill in 1997.
"Im hoping itll all be finished within a year," Sievers said of his effort. "It may be a longer time, you know how the city works." However, representatives from the City Landmarks Preservation Commission have already visited Douglaston Hill twice and will soon be sending another team to the neighborhood to make more observations, Sievers said.
If Douglaston Hill is approved by the Landmarks Commission, it will be only the sixth city-designated historic district in Queens, but the 74th in the city. Prospect Park South in Brooklyn, Riverdale in the Bronx and St. George in Staten Island are the only landmark districts that include single-family residential homes.