Sunnyside street co-named after beloved resident who put neighborhood ‘on the map’

Sunnyside came together this weekend to honor the life of a man who many say helped make the neighborhood what it is today.

Local elected officials, community leaders and residents gathered on Saturday to celebrate the life of Luke Adams – a community activist and business owner who passed away last November at age 76 – by co-naming 46th Street in his honor.

The street was chosen because it is where Adams owned a small business and also where he advocated for the Sunnyside Arch to be built.

“It is important that we never forget the life of Luke Adams,” Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said. “His work helped put Sunnyside on the map and has left a lasting impression that will forever be felt in our community. Luke loved Sunnyside and was a neighborhood treasure for decades. By ceremoniously co-naming 46th Street in his honor we help ensure future generations of Sunnysiders remember his legacy and all the great work he did for the neighborhood.”

Adams, who was involved in community work for over 40 years, was the first to receive the Sunnysider of the Year award, which was later named after him.

Along with working as a reporter and photographer for the Woodside Herald for many years, Adams was also instrumental in the Sunnyside Woodside Lions Club and the nonprofit group Sunnyside Artists Inc., and was the former president of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce.

“Luke Adams was an outstanding Sunnyside icon who dedicated his life to making his neighborhood a better place, and he is deeply missed,” state Senator Michael Gianaris said. “Luke helped to mold Sunnyside into the vibrant, wonderful community it is today. He was a good and honest man who will always hold a special place in Sunnyside.”

Among his work for the community, Adams was behind creating the first Sunnyside website in 1991 and has been referred to as the “best promoter in Queens,” because of his various campaigns to increase tourism to the borough he called home.

“The beautiful and diverse fabric of Sunnyside has been woven by a number of wonderful, talented, and committed individuals over the years,” said Pat O’Brien, chair of Community Board 2. “Our friend, Luke Adams, may stand tallest among them, and has left an example in his vision for its growth and success that we will all aspire to continue, and advance, for generations to come.”