NY1 was at the Sunnyside Meeting last night
Queens Neighborhood Divided Over Landmark Status
February 28, 2007
Residents of a Queens community are split over a city plan to landmark their neighborhood.
Sunnyside Gardens was designed over 80 years ago as a unique garden community with brick row houses and lots of open space.
Now as more and more residents develop their property, the city wants to give the area landmark status to preserve its character. But while some residents think the city has the right idea, others say the status would be a burden to homeowners.
“There’s a lot of things that happen when it becomes landmarked. Expenses go up for people. Some people are retired and cannot afford these expenses,” says homeowner Badrun Khan. “And there are people in the neighborhood who cannot understand what they are trying to do, because it was never explained properly to a lot of people.”
“The truth is that landmarks preservation – landmark designation – is the only thing with teeth that can truly enforce and protect and preserve this truly historic and beautiful neighborhood,” says homeowner James Van Bramer.
Residents debated the issue at a heated meeting last night. The landmarks commission will make a decision on March 6th.