stsaviours

NY1 aired a report about the church on May 3rd, and that resulted in a very interesting development.

Christopher Dankert, a resident of Woodside, called JPCA and said that he had a book containing the original minutes of the St. Saviour’s vestry dating from 1847. The ledger chronicles the history of the church and the contributions of some of the founding fathers of Maspeth, including James Maurice. Details about the founding of the church, the hiring of architect Richard Upjohn, the consecration by the bishop and the congregation’s wax seal are all present in the book. Mr. Dankert bought the ledger a few years ago for $2 at a flea market in Sunnyside Gardens because he found the handwriting contained within to be interesting. He didn’t realize where St. Saviour’s was until he saw the news story. He handed it over to us, refusing compensation for it, stating, “It’s a piece of your history and you should have it. It feels good to be able to return it to its rightful owners.” photo: Juniper Berry Magazine, June/July 2006

Tony Avella (holding banner at left), Nancy Cataldi (Richmond Hill Historical Society), Christina Wilkinson (right), Michael Perlman (behind Christina) at May 6 press conference/rally at St. Saviour's.
No City Councilperson has done more for us on this issue than Councilman Tony Avella – and he represents portions of northeastern Queens, not our area. As former president of the Bayside Historical Society, he understands the importance of preserving a neighborhood’s past. He has issued stern warnings to the developer and has assured us that as Chair of the Zoning Committee, he will make sure that rezoning of the area will not happen unless the people of Maspeth agree to it.

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi has also been supportive, having written letters on our behalf despite the fact that the church does not sit within his district. He, in fact, was the only one of our local representatives to attend our press conference. He is aware that this is more of a general city issue than simply a Maspeth issue.

The Committee to Save the Trylon Theater, led by Michael Perlman of Forest Hills, the Committee to Save the RKO Keith’s Theater, headed by Jerry Rotondi of Flushing, Richmond Hill Historical Society, whose president is Nancy Cataldi and Greater Astoria Historical Society, whose president is Bob Singleton, have all been instrumental in our fight. Their own battles – one successful (Keith’s), the other three ongoing (Trylon, Richmond Hill & Old Astoria Village Historic Districts) – have served as an inspiration for us. They have been providing information and strategizing with us on what moves to make. Jerry Rotondi is a fantastic artist, and has donated “Save St. Saviour’s” mosaic-style paintings to us (see above under title card). Michael Perlman is a great writer*, and has supported us in print, most recently in the Daily News. Nancy Cataldi suggested the postcard campaign we conducted, and Bob Singleton came up with the idea for, and is a founding member of, the Newtown Historical Society, whose charter is currently awaiting approval by the State Board of Regents in Albany.

*Michael's article in the Daily News Queens weekly section is not preserved online, unfortunately.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has also come out in favor of landmarking St. Saviour’s. You would think that architects would be on the side of the developer, but AIA is an organization that understands that cheaply-constructed, ugly buildings have no place in the planning of a neighborhood. They feel particularly strong about St. Saviour’s, as its architect, Richard Upjohn, founded AIA in 1857 and served as their first president.

Kevin Walsh of Forgotten-NY.com and Tom Jackson of LICAlliance.org have frequently posted St. Saviour’s updates on their websites. This has garnered the attention of preservationists worldwide and has provided a resource for those wishing to keep abreast of the situation.

We have found many other wonderful supporters; unfortunately, there is not enough space to list them all.

by CHRISTINA WILKINSON
Forgotten NY correspondent and member, Juniper Park Civic Association

NE OF THE last remaining pieces of mid-19th century Maspeth sits on a beautiful wooded hill next to Rust Street. You would never be able to guess by looking at the area now, but this is where our town began. The earliest Queens colony was founded here along the banks of Newtown Creek, the tributaries of which used to stretch well in to Maspeth. Dewitt Clinton, former mayor of our city and governor of our state, planned the Erie Canal from his summer home along the creek. His neighbor, U.S. Congressman James Maurice, founded the Maspeth Church along with Clinton’s son-in-law, David Jones, Garritt Furman, author of “The Maspeth Poems,” and wealthy farmer, John Van Cott. The congregation met at Dewitt Clinton’s home in its earliest years and eventually decided that an actual church building should be constructed and the congregation be renamed St. Saviour’s (which actually means Holy Savior).

Tapestry art by Jerry Rotondi

	James Maurice (left) and John Van Cott donated land, and hired Richard Upjohn, our country’s finest 19th century architect, to design a wooden church building and parsonage. Upjohn used this design as a prototype for other churches, and in 1852 published sketches that very closely resemble that of the St. Saviour’s complex in a book he wrote. Both were constructed of redwood, a very expensive San Francisco import requiring a lengthy circuitous route to New York via boat. James Maurice envisioned the church as the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, which was in the process of formation at the time. (Garden City eventually was chosen to become the seat of the L.I. Diocese, and the great Cathedral of the Incarnation was constructed there.)


*Maurice Woods, 1900. Old Queens in Early Photographs, Seyfried, Asadorian.*		James Maurice's sisters' home still stands on Rust Street about a block away from St. Saviour's.

In 1848, the Right Reverend William DeLancey of Manhattan (for whom Delancey Street is named) consecrated the church. In 1850, Mount Olivet Cemetery was founded by James Maurice as an Episcopal cemetery, but was opened up to all faiths the following year. In 1878, James Maurice donated the land upon which the parsonage sits, with the surrounding land serving as an enlargement of the churchyard. Also in 1878, Maurice donated 80 additional wooded acres to the church, with the intention that part of the land would be used for a seminary. In 1884, James Maurice passed away, and in the early 20th century, the church found it could no longer support a seminary. The church petitioned his surviving sisters to grant permission to them to sell the land, which they obliged. Ridgewood Gardens and its surrounding homes and streets were developed in later years on the site of what was the Maurice Woods.

		An entire generation of the Maurice family lies in Mount Olivet Cemetery – none of them married or had children – and with the death of Sarah Maurice in 1909, the family name passed into history. Maurice Avenue and, up until recently, Maurice Park, are the only vestiges of the name remaining in Maspeth. For generations, St. Saviour’s opened its doors to not only its parishioners, but to all members of the community. Neighbors of the church fondly recall being invited to use the grounds as a park, and many played there as children. Workers from the nearby factories would relax there during their lunch hour. This spot became an important social area of West Maspeth, and residents treasured having a beautiful green space available to them in the midst of ever-encroaching industry.
Maurice family plots at Mt Olivet Cemetery. Juniper Berry Magazine, June/July 2006

In 1995, dwindling attendance forced St. Saviour’s to close down and in 1996, the church was sold to a Korean Methodist Church for $450,000 in accordance with the restrictive covenant in the 1878 deed which states that the land may only be used by St. Saviour’s or any church that the diocese should appoint. The Methodist Church worshiped there until December of 2005, having months earlier sold the property to a developer for $6 million.

What has happened since that time has been a tale of the good, the bad and the ugly…


	On April 2nd, after a call from a concerned St. Saviour’s neighbor, Juniper Park Civic Association President Robert Holden contacted the Department of Environmental Protection, who shut the site down for improper asbestos removal. On April 21st, the New York City Department of Buildings issued an additional stop-work order based on another report by Mr. Holden that workers were continuing to do work on the property in violation of the previous order. Residents of the surrounding area also notified us that an illegal waste transfer station had been operating on the property since the week after Christmas 2005. The following day, the developer’s attorney, Patrick Jones, appeared before the community board to explain the development proposal. He got an earful about his client’s behavior from both neighbors and JPCA representatives. On April 4th, Kenneth O’Keefe of Global Investigative Services and I went to Hofstra University and obtained copies of the original 1847 and 1878 deeds to the St. Saviour’s property from microfilm. Ken also helped locate former parishioners of the church, obtained statements that there are graves on the property, and gathered a good deal of other helpful information, all voluntarily.

On April 20th, I presented the St. Saviour’s case to the Preservation Committee of the Municipal Art Society in Manhattan. They were very supportive, and provided a lot of good advice about how to work with the Landmarks Preservation Commission. A member of the MAS committee suggested that we contact attorney Marc Bresky, and Juniper Park Civic and West Maspeth Local Development Corporation’s Lee Principe, together with neighbors and former parishioners of the church, met with him and hired him to represent us. Through his hard work, we obtained a temporary restraining order against the developer that put demolition on hold until a court decision is handed down. Unlike Councilman Gallagher’s army of pro-bono attorneys, Mr. Bresky actually accomplished something. The Four Borough Neighborhood Alliance pitched in by setting up a press conference (May 6th) featuring Councilman Tony Avella. They followed that up with a letter of support to the LPC, and through them, the word has spread outside of Queens and into the other boroughs.
		Christabel Gough, Secretary of the Society for the Architecture of the City, and a member of 4BNA, donated a substantial amount of money for our lawsuit, and has been acting as a liaison between the Landmarks Preservation Commission and JPCA. She has been a great champion of our cause even though she resides in Manhattan. LEFT: Christabel Gough displays an 1847 rendering of St. Saviour's by architect Richard Upjohn with Robert Holden, President Juniper Park Civic Association, May 6, 2006

St. Saviour's Church in 1900 (Old Queens in Early Photographs, Seyfried, Asadorian); Rev. John M. Mills after December 1970 fire (Juniper Berry Magazine, June/July 2006)

In 1970, a fire accidentally set by three 12-year-old boys damaged St. Saviour’s tower, roof and vestibule, but by 1972, the structure had been restored and services once again being held there. According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the repairs completed after the fire have made the property ineligible for designation as an official New York City Landmark. Of course, we disagree.

The only requirements for designation set forth in the landmarks law are that the property under review be older than 30 years of age and be architecturally or historically significant. St. Saviour’s, without question, meets this criteria. However, it is located in the borough of Queens instead of in the borough of Manhattan, and therein lies the problem.

There have been over 500 individual landmarks designated in Manhattan, and just over 50 in Queens. The 10:1 ratio makes it clear that Queens is being discriminated against in terms of having its significant structures saved. It seems that preserving the history and character of a borough of immigrants and working class people is not a worthwhile endeavor for the city, while allowing outsiders to overdevelop our neighborhoods is.

Original redwood used in 1847 construction of St. Saviour's has been revealed during its (so far) partial destruction. photos: Bernard Ente

There have been several properties designated by the LPC that have had major alterations – a lot more extensive than having some siding or shingles slapped onto it and a piece of the roof replaced. Some of them had burned down to their foundations and were completely rebuilt with modern materials, such as Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan (left) and the Onderdonk House in Ridgewood. The exact language given to us in our rejection letter from the LPC was that “the original fabric of the complex has been altered beyond recognition.” We have submitted photographic proof (see above) that the original redwood used to build St. Saviour’s is still intact under its 20th Century protective layers. Also, there is nothing in the landmarks law stating that an altered property cannot be designated, and in fact most, if not all designated properties have been altered in some way.

LEFT: City Councilman Dennis Gallagher and Christina Wilkinson, December 2005

Dealing with the LPC is frustrating enough, but trying to get our elected officials to do something has proven even harder. Since Councilman Dennis Gallagher gave me an award last year for my work documenting neighborhood history and has made numerous visits to Richmond Hill to support that area’s designation as an historic district, I thought he was on the side of preservation. When I asked the Councilman to request a meeting with the LPC Chair, Robert Tierney, I strangely was given the silent treatment – no return phone calls, no letters and no e-mails.

So I tried reaching out to City Councilwoman Melinda Katz, Chair of the City Council’s Land Use Committee. I knew it would be a tough sell with her, as she has proven herself to be hostile toward preservation efforts in the past. However, after local councilmen objected to the proposed NASCAR track in Staten Island, she along with Christine Quinn, City Council Speaker, petitioned Mayor Bloomberg to find another use for the land, suggesting that a public access park might be a better idea. Our question to her is, “If you can do that for vacant land in Staten Island, why can’t you also ask the Mayor and LPC to save this historical site that is practically in your own backyard?”

Well, here’s part of the reason why. The law firm of Petraro and Jones, a lobbyist for developers, also represents the St. Saviour’s owner. In the past, Vincent Petraro arranged to have his clients donate several thousand dollars to Melinda Katz’s re-election campaign. Therefore, as expected, she chooses to remain loyal to them rather than to the Committee to Save St. Saviour’s. Her office told me to go ask Gallagher for help.

LPC Chairman Robert Tierney; RIGHT: Tierney, City Councilwoman Melinda Katz, and historian Barry Lewis tour Kew Gardens. photo: Kew Gardens Civic Association

Later that same day, another member of Juniper Civic asked Gallagher if he was setting up a meeting with Tierney for us. He received an e-mail reply from the Councilman, which said, “I have requested landmarking on more than one occasion, including most recently in a letter directed this past Thursday to LPC Chair Tierney. I am proud that Melinda Katz has joined us in trying to preserve the site.” Well, Dennis, we didn’t ask you to write another letter to Tierney, we asked you to set up a meeting with him. And Melinda Katz made it clear that she didn’t want to get involved, and placed the burden squarely on your shoulders. Maybe you should do your homework before you pledge the support of someone who has flat out refused to give it.

Around the same time, Councilman Gallagher successfully petitioned the Borough President to remove JPCA member and outspoken St. Saviour’s supporter, Anthony Nunziato, from Community Board 5 without giving a reason. Tony has since tried to make amends with Gallagher even though he didn’t do anything deserving of this unprovoked action. The property owner is about to come before the community board to ask for a zoning change so he can proceed with his housing plan for West Maspeth. If the Councilman is really in favor of saving St. Saviour’s and stopping overdevelopment, he’ll put Tony back on the board before this crucial vote.

Tony Nunziato's storefront, Enchanted Florist, 65-10 Grand Avenue. photo: Nunziato

The Councilman has gone so far as to declare war on the Juniper Park Civic Association. He had his chief fundraiser, Joe Cimino, write a scathing letter to the editors of local newspapers, attacking JPCA. The letter stopped short of accusing us of spray painting graffiti on the construction fence around St. Saviour’s, but did say we approved of it. Of course, we had nothing to do with it and do not condone it, but we were a convenient way to deflect attention away from the councilman’s lack of action. As Katz told us to ask Gallagher for help, this letter told us to ask the Mayor for help in yet another attempt to pass the buck.

Dennis Gallagher also recently gave a “community service award” to Kenneth Rudzewick, President of Maspeth Federal Savings, the man who told me that St. Saviour’s was “just a bunch of decrepit buildings” and that “nothing there was worthy of landmarking.” Apparently, funding the overdevelopment of a neighborhood is considered something award-worthy in the councilman’s eyes. Maspeth Federal’s slogan is, “We treat you like family.” Developers certainly have found this phrase to be true. photo: Maspeth Federal

Mr. Rudzewick says that the ‘natural thing for the bank to do’ was to sell the development company the mortgage. He attempted to justify the bank’s action by insisting that there was no opposition to the proposed development when the mortgage was arranged and if there had been, the bank wouldn’t have granted it. Both he and our Councilman also keep harping on the fact that the bank is an ‘equal opportunity lender.’

All of this is a just a bunch of smoke. The truth of the matter is that Vincent Petraro, of the law firm that represents the developer, in the past was hired to do lobbying work on behalf of Maspeth Federal, and that is part of the reason why MFS sold the mortgage to the developer. Maspeth Development, LLC is a foreign corporation that operated an illegal waste transfer station on the property, attempted to assault photographers, endangered neighbors by removing asbestos improperly, and repeatedly violated a stop-work order. If this is the type of company that Maspeth Federal considers to be a good customer, then Maspeth Federal needs to complete an internal investigation, starting at the top.

There was no opposition to the proposed development because the community was not aware of the transaction until after it had already taken place. The sale of the church and property happened last July, and the church continued to be used for services until Christmas. The sale wasn’t announced to the public until mid-January.

As to the equal opportunity lender nonsense, that just means that the bank does not discriminate against applicants based on race, religion, gender, etc. It does not get them off the hook for handing a mortgage to a developer who wants to destroy the character and architectural heritage of the neighborhood.

The bank can still save this treasure by enforcing the terms of the agreement they made with the developer and informing them that they are denying permission for demolition of the structures on the property. Other language in the mortgage states that no more than 6 units of housing may be built on the site. Maspeth Federal claims they have no power to enforce any of this. It’s more like they can, but just don’t want to.

When you advertise yourself as a community bank and adopt the community’s name as your own, you have the obligation to look out for the interests of that community. I would gladly give up all the parades, street fairs and outdoor concerts sponsored by Maspeth Federal if they would just show us the same loyalty that Maspeth has shown them since 1947; specifically, by not using our money to fund the destruction of the neighborhood we were born, raised and would like to continue to live in!




	(LEFT) Dumpsters and other debris on St. Saviour's grounds; (RIGHT) St. Saviour's parsonage is the only structure visible in the overgrown campus in summer 2006 If none of what was presented about the historical value of this property has convinced you that St. Saviour’s is worth saving, than this definitely will. The type of housing proposed to replace the beautiful hill, trees and historic buildings that are currently there is a full block of attached 3-family rowhouses in cheaply constructed “Fedders style,” representing yet another overdevelopment nightmare for Maspeth.
	The requested zoning change would turn what is an M1-1D district into an R5B district for this parcel of land that borders Rust Street. Rust Street was recently designated as the appropriate route for trucks that formerly used Grand Avenue to get to the Long Island Expressway. It has always been a heavily traveled truck route, but soon there will be even more pollution and noise along its corridor. In addition, a jet fuel pipeline and a lumberyard border the railroad tracks that parallel Rust Street, making it hazardous to have new, high-density housing built because of the increased risk of fire to nearby properties. West Maspeth can ill-afford to lose this rare green space. Besides being under-served by parks,the area’s public transportation and school services are inadequate. The limited city services currently provided would be stretched to the breaking point and further burden would fall onto the already overcrowded buses and schools of Woodside and Maspeth. The original intention of the M1-1D zone was to act as a buffer between the heavily industrialized area and the denser residential part of Maspeth. Therefore, replacing existing housing should be allowed, but new housing should be very limited.

OUR PROPOSAL The Juniper Park Civic Association has asked the city to obtain the St. Saviour’s property and turn it into a cultural center and park. The church could become a museum spotlighting the history of western Queens, including all the neighborhoods that once made up Newtown. Exhibits would include history of the area’s indigenous people, early settlers and slaves, as well as the people who have made more recent contributions. The former Sunday school might become a “hands-on” learning center for area children. There are currently no such learning centers in this area. Adjacent to this and outdoors would be a children’s play area in a natural setting. The rectory might house an organization to assist veterans, along with a nature center pertaining to the revitalization of Newtown Creek. The rest of the grounds would be dedicated for use as a passive park and a community garden, so area children (and adults) can learn more about and participate in outdoor projects. JPCA has been in constant communication with the Parks Department, Mayor’s office, Department of City Planning, Department of Buildings and elected officials. We have been working day and night on this and will continue to fight for as long as it takes. St. Saviour’s can still be saved if only the local leadership closes ranks, makes it clear to the developer that the economic basis for his project will never materialize, and signs on to the proposed cultural complex and park. This successful formula has worked time and time again. If Council Members Katz & Gallagher and Maspeth Federal Bank start working with us, victory is almost assured. On paper, St. Saviour’s now belongs to a development company. However, as an important part of our history, it is something that really belongs to us. It is time for the city to stop worrying about what the developer may do ‘as of right’ and instead concern itself with doing what IS right for the people of Maspeth. SIGN THIS ONLINE PETITION TO THE MAYOR
		CONTACT the Juniper Park Civic Association at info@junipercivic.com or (718) 651-5865 Dennis Gallagher Email: gallagher@council.nyc.ny.us Fax No.: (718) 326-3549 Melinda Katz Email: katz@council.nyc.ny.us Fax No.: (718) 544-4452 Robert Tierney (Landmarks Preservation Commission) Email: rtierney@lpc.nyc.gov Fax No. 212-669-7960 Mayor Michael Bloomberg Email: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html Fax No: (212) 788-2460 Borough President Helen Marshall Email: info@queensbp.org Fax No: (718) 286-2876 Community Board 5 Email: qnscb5@nyc.rr.com Fax No: (718) 417-5799

CONTACT Christina Wilkinson at nutrichris@rcn.com
	Christina's article originally appeared in the June/July 2006 issue of the Juniper Berry, published by the Juniper Park Civic Association.

April 4, 1965: an LIRR freight consist makes its way on the Montauk Branch past St. Saviour's Church, the Maurice family residence, and the Maspeth Avenue grade crossing, which is still there. Note the Clinton Diner ad at left. This is how St. Saviour's appeared prior to the 1970 fire. This could be a sleepy town in the Midwest if you didn't know better. photo: Dick Makse

Maspeth and Middle Village have suffered inordinately with much of their history disappearing in the early years of the 21st century.


When it closed in February 2005, 150-year-old Niederstein's Restaurant (1939 view at left) was the oldest eatery in Long Island. It was quickly converted to rubble by the property's new owners, who built an Arbys fast food palace, as well as the usual Fedders Specials on the Niederstein's parking lot.

Christina reports that in 7/06 this Civil War era boarding house at Maspeth and Grand Avenues rumored to have an underground tunnel is being demolished, and its collection of centuries-old trees has been cut down. Fedders anyone?

Anton Fausner's wheelwright shop, Grand Avenue and Hamilton Place, was torn down June 20, 2006. It dated back to 1852 and for the last few years, ancient signs belonging to a long-ago auto repair shop could be seen on the ground floor.

Will St. Saviour's be added to the list of historic houses that have been allowed to be flushed away by greedy developers? Not if a dedicated group of Maspethites can do anything about it. Stay tuned.

MORE ON MASPETH

If all this isn't enough, an equally historic church in the East Village, St. Brigid's (built 1848), is under the gun as well.

ST. BRIGID'S CHURCH

This page was completed July 2, 2006 and updated January 7, 2007.

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