Last Word on the Douglaston Hill Extension (we hope)
Douglaston House In District
by Liz Rhoades , Managing Editor
The Queens Chronicle
It’s official. The City Council voted 47-1 on July 25 to keep a disputed Douglaston house in its landmarked district.
Earlier last week, the council’s Land Use Committee voted in favor of the proposal. In the full council vote, only Staten Island Councilman Vincent Ignizio voted against it.
The dispute began two years ago when Kevin and Diana Mosley, owners of the 1920s house at 41-45 240th St., asked that the dwelling be removed from the Douglaston Hill landmarked district. They wanted to be able to pursue renovations and expansions without any restrictions.
The couple claim that when they bought the house in 2005, they did not know the area was about to be landmarked. They then went ahead and put on two additions to the house as well as other exterior changes.
The Mosleys took their case to the state Supreme Court and won, based on the disputed age of the house. The local historical society had listed it as much older, but the Mosleys showed records that it was built in the 1920s.
Despite the couple’s win in court, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission was allowed to review the decision and ruled unanimously to keep the house in the district. It then had to go back to the City Council to redesignate the Mosley’s house into the district.
Bill Sievers, vice president of the Douglaston Little Neck Historical Society, hailed the decision, noting that it took his group 15 years to attain landmark status for the area. Group members also don’t believe that the Mosleys were unaware of the landmarking.
©Queens Chronicle 2007