By Howard Koplowitz
The City Council voted to rename a Richmond Hill Street after Nancy Cataldi, the late president of the Richmond Hill Historical Society and historian for Maple Grove Cemetery who fought to landmark the community, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said last week.
Cataldi died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage Nov. 6 at age 55 and was remembered by community leaders for her tireless effort to seek landmark status for Richmond Hill’s distinct Victorian homes.
The legislation, passed June 30, paved the way for 109th Street between 86th Street and Jamaica Avenue to be renamed “Nancy Cataldi Way.”
That street is where Cataldi bought a 1905 Victorian home with her longtime boyfriend, Steve Palow, in 1994. Cataldi renovated the home to keep it in character with its antique roots by installing a tin ceiling and furniture that reflected the time period.
The home received one of the first Queensmarks — bestowed to homes in the borough that were not being considered for landmarks by the city — in 1996, a year before she and neighborhood residents founded the Richmond Hill Historical Society.
Cataldi unsuccessfully fought the city Landmarks Preservation Commission to landmark sections of Richmond Hill, where Victorian homes are prominent.
Cataldi was also the historian for Maple Grove Cemetery in nearby Kew Gardens, where she organized a program called “Spirits Alive!” that featured actors portraying the graveyard’s historical figures.
“I am proud to honor Nancy Cataldi for her leadership and dedication to preserving the character of our community and improving the lives of our members,” Crowley said in a statement.
The councilwoman said Cataldi showed “how each of us, when we work hard and remain dedicated, can make lasting change in our community. That is why I believe it is important to recognize those who are proactive about improving the lives of all our neighbors and documenting our history.”
Cataldi was also involved in an attempt to rename Smokey Oval Park after writer Jack Kerouac, who once lived in Richmond Hill and Ozone Park. Instead, the park was renamed after late New York Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who played on the Richmond Hill High School baseball team.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
