April 12, 2016 Staff Report
After waiting for nearly three decades, Long Island City’s Pepsi Cola sign has been officially designated a City landmark.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission announced the decision on Tuesday, calling the famous sign “one of the most iconic features of the New York City waterfront, and … an irreplaceable piece of the urban landscape, representing commercial advertising and American industry.”
The landmarking decision has been expected since February, after the LPC held a sweeping hearing on nearly 100 properties citywide that have spent decades waiting for a decision from the agency. The Pepsi sign, which sits in front of 46-10 Center Blvd., had been under consideration by the LPC since 1988.
February’s hearing was part of a “backlog initiative” launched last year to address all of these properties. The Pepsi sign and 29 other sites were prioritized for landmark designation and the rest were removed from consideration.
“During its public hearing there was widespread support for the designation of the Pepsi sign,” LPC Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan said in a statement. “Its prominent siting and its frequent appearances in pop culture have made it one of the most endearing and recognizable icons on the Queens waterfront.”
Also in Queens, the Lydia Ann Bell and J. William Ahles House in Bayside was designated a landmark.
So far the LPC has voted on eight of the 30 prioritized sites and expects to tackle them all before the end of the year.
