Avella, Douglaston Residents Protest Proposed Changes to Historic House

State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, and Douglaston residents held a rally Friday afternoon to protest a proposed alteration of an historic home along Douglaston Parkway.

The current property owner at the site, which is located at 38-60 Douglaston Parkway, has applied for building alteration permits that change the character of the home, Avella said.

“Unfortunately, we are once again in front of an historic house to prevent its destruction,” the senator said. “There are too many situations like this where a new owner comes in and significantly alter the character of the building.”

Avella called on the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the Douglaston Historic District Extension and prevent the property’s owner from drastically altering the property.

The extension is the only part of the original Douglaston left and includes some historic farmhouses.

Paul Graziano, a long-time community activist and planning consultant, said the home was supposed to be included in the original 1997 designation for the community and that houses on the other side of the street from the property are included in the historic district.

“This house was already moved 150 feet years ago, so that it would not be demolished,” he said. “And now it is under threat of being changed.”

Graziano said the city Department of Building’s website lists the proposed alteration to the home as a “horizontal and vertical enlargement.”

But Avella said it was not clear yet what the changes to the property would be. The property owner could still change the alteration plan since the site is not landmarked.

The senator said he had also not yet met with the property owner.

“We’re not taking away the ability to build in Queens,” said Paul Di Benedetto, president of the Bayside Historical Society. “We just want to preserve a little bit of history in Queens.”