Addisleigh Park, a bastion of African-American and civil rights history, was recently granted landmark status protecting it from changes, Councilmember Leroy Comrie recently announced.
“The Southeast Queens community takes tremendous pride in the acknowledgement of this neighborhood and I am hopeful that the rich history and legacy of Addisleigh Park will be used as a teaching tool in schools across the City,” said Comrie.
Before the 1948 Federal Supreme Court decision that prohibited racially restrictive housing policies, Addisleigh Park homes were only sold to whites.
“Scores of African American entertainers, athletes, educators and civil rights icons chose this community to live in since a ground-breaking Supreme Court ruling that rules barring the sale of homes to African Americans were illegal,” Comrie said. “It was an important moment in our nation’s history and today we can once again celebrate that progress.”
The Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) named Addisleigh Park a historic district in February. The City Planning Commission and City Council had 120 days to ratify or reverse the decision.
The Council passed the legislation unanimously.
There are 422 houses in the St. Alban’s district bounded by Sayres Avenue to the north, Linden Boulevard to the south, Merrick Boulevard to the east and 180th Street to the west.
