The long-awaited renovations to the Woodhaven Boulevard J/Z station are finally complete, and the addition of two brand-new elevators is a significant milestone for our community. These elevators represent a leap forward in accessibility, providing ease of use for commuters with mobility challenges. It’s an achievement worth celebrating, but this progress didn’t come without a price.
As we welcome this improvement, we must also bid farewell to a cherished piece of Woodhaven’s history: the iconic Columbia Savings Bank clock. Once a cornerstone of community life, the clock has been relegated to a hidden corner, nearly forgotten behind the new station design.
The story of the clock begins with the Columbia Building and Loan Association, formed in Brooklyn in 1889. By the early 1900s, Columbia Bank had established a branch at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, cementing its presence in our neighborhood.
The bank’s ties to Woodhaven grew over the decades, becoming deeply interwoven with the community. In the 1920s, the bank issued over 100 mortgages in Woodhaven, supporting residents and local businesses alike. Many prominent businessmen in Woodhaven sat on Columbia’s Board of Directors, names long forgotten in Woodhaven today but very recognizable to residents of Woodhaven at that time. Men such as Harry Clapp, who opened the first insurance company in Woodhaven, which still does business today as Ohlert-Ruggiere Inc.
When Woodhaven Boulevard expanded in the 1930s, Columbia Bank made a point to stay at its historic corner. By the 1950s, it had outgrown its facilities and built a stunning new building, unveiled in 1954.
This architectural marvel featured Select Buff Indiana Limestone, Deer Island Granite imported from England, White Cherokee Georgia Marble and Terrazzo floors imported from Italy. Its beauty and craftsmanship earned the building a first-prize design award from the Queens Chamber of Commerce. Residents flocked to admire the bank on opening day, and its thoughtful details, like handing orchids to visiting ladies, left a lasting impression.
Atop it all was the clock. Mounted over the Woodhaven Boulevard entrance, the clock became more than just a timepiece. For decades, it was a trusted companion for commuters and drivers alike, a symbol of the rhythm of life in Woodhaven.
Over time, Columbia Bank weathered financial struggles, and a succession of new names followed: New York Community Bank, then Queens County Savings Bank and finally Flagstar Bank. Yet the clock remained a constant, a silent observer of the boulevard’s hustle and bustle.
Now, the renovations to the Woodhaven Boulevard J/Z station have blocked the clock from view. Its face, which once marked the passing hours for so many, is hidden behind the station’s new structures. You can still spot it, but only if you know where to look. On the Jamaica-bound side of the station, at the top of the stairs by the new elevator, a window offers a glimpse of the clock. Press your face to the glass and look to the left, and you’ll see it, frozen near 12 noon (or midnight, if you like).
The clock hasn’t run in a few years, and its future seems uncertain. Fixing it might seem futile, given its obscured location. Still, one can’t help but imagine how wonderful it would be to see it ticking again, reminding us of the rich history it represents.
The relocation and obscurity of the Columbia Savings Bank clock feel emblematic of the passage of time itself. A once-beloved landmark has now faded into the background, a relic of a bygone era. Future generations might stumble across it and wonder why someone built a clock hidden behind a train station, unaware that it was the other way round.
For those of us who remember it in its prime, the clock’s fate is a bittersweet reminder of how progress and history often clash. As Woodhaven continues to evolve, we must hold on to these stories, passing them down so that the legacy of landmarks like the Columbia Savings Bank clock, and the community it served, are never entirely forgotten.
It’s a sad end to a once integral part of Woodhaven life, a reminder that all our lives are just as temporary, and counting down one second at a time.
