‘Gem of a landmark’ in Jamaica to be restored

In perfect timing with the coming of spring, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall joined with community and preservation groups on Wednesday, April 4 at a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the restoration of a jewel in the crown of Queens history.
After almost five years of fundraising by the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation and the New York Landmarks Committee that included a $50,000 grant from Marshall’s office, the Chapel of Three Sisters located in Jamaica’s historic Prospect Cemetery received its first breath of new life as a projected $632,000, eight-month restoration project got underway.
“We are happy to provide such help to give new life to this gem of a landmark building and look forward to seeing it become an asset to the downtown Jamaica community,” Marshall said.
The restoration process, part of an overall plan to revitalize Prospect Cemetery, is geared toward simplicity to reflect the vacant structure’s original architecture and flexibility to enable diverse uses. New heating and electrical systems will be installed, as well as a kitchenette, bathroom and wood flooring and windows.
The original plaster work inside the chapel will be delicately cleaned and the brownstone exterior will be restored.
The highlight of the project will be the restoration of two rose windows that decorate the chapel’s north and south faades. By 1999 only 50 percent of the intricate stained glass windows remained and so was removed and stored by The Gil Studio stained glass specialists. The Gil Studio will reproduce the missing glass to re-assemble the windows back to their original splendor.
Located at the cemetery’s eastern end, the chapel was commissioned by Nicholas Ludlum, a wealth local merchant, in 1857 to memorialize his deceased three daughters: Mary Cecelia, Cornelia and Mary.
The one-story Romanesque Revival building measures approximately 40 by 40 feet and 25 feet high. When it was completed, it became the main entrance and focal point of the Prospect Cemetery.
Prospect Cemetery, which is located on the York College campus but is owned by the city Parks Department, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated New York City landmark. Founded in 1668, it is the oldest family burial grounds in Queens.