By Adam Pincus
Judith Sloan, an independent radio producer who has rented in Sunnyside Gardens for 17 years, believes the relatively higher costs of maintaining a landmarks property may lead to increased rents in the diverse neighborhood.”I am absolutely concerned that it would raise rents and push people out who have been there for many years,” she said, though she noted that landowners among the more than 300 people who signed a petition opposing landmarking were more concerned with property rights.Once a historic district is designated, buildings within the area need to obtain a permit from the city Landmarks Commission for all work that affects the exterior of a building. This additional layer of bureaucracy may add time and cost to the overall process, while approved materials could also be more costly, owners say.She is part of a growing chorus of residents who are opposed to the landmarking which has wide support among residents in the tight knit community.Gardens homeowner and architect Laura Heim, who supports the landmarking proposal, said she did not expect to see rents rise after landmarking through higher replacements cost for items such as windows.”I don't think it will raise the rents,” she said, “it will make it look nicer if and when they have to replace the windows.”Two large apartment buildings are included in the proposed Sunnyside Gardens historic district, at 46-01 Skillman with 87 units and the Phipps Garden Apartments on 39th Avenue that has 344 apartments.”The concern is that to be in compliance with landmarking rules would provide yet another justification for landlords to increase rents and that would be to much of a burden on long-term tenants,” said Robert McCreanor of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, who consults with the Catholic Migration Office. He also rents an apartment in the Gardens.Simeon Bankoff, executive director of citywide advocacy group Historic Districts Council, conceded that there might be higher repair costs in the short term, but in the long run the building materials are a higher quality.”The fact of the matter is that it has not been shown that landmark designation makes rents go up,” he said.The city landmarks has proposed creating a historic district for the Gardens, mainly for the hallmark two-story attached homes built around a common garden. The area is bounded by the Sunnyside Rail Yards to the north, 49th and 52nd streets to the east, Skillman Avenue to the south and 43rd Street to the west. There is also a stretch of 47th Street between Skillman Avenue and Queens Boulevard.Much of the area is already registered by the city as a special planned community preservation district.A community meeting is scheduled for Jan. 17 at Sunnyside Community Center 43-31 39th St., with Landmarks Commission members. A meeting to calendar a Landmarks hearing will be set after Jan. 17, a commission spokeswoman said. Reach reporter Adam Pincus by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
