There was a victory for local preservationists in their fight to save an historic building in Queens from the wrecking ball, as the Landmarks Preservation Commission has voted to consider the building for landmark status. NY1's Ruschell Boone filed the following report.

An iconic Long Island City building is mostly empty, but it could get a new lease on life thanks to Christian Emanuel and others, who are fighting to save it. The Landmark Preservation Commission has voted to consider the 14-story building for landmark status.

"It means a lot to us, and it means a lot to my family, and I know it means a lot to the people in Queens," Emanuel said. 

It's officially known as the Bank of Manhattan Long Island City Branch Building, but many simply call it the Queens clock tower building. It's been part of the Long Island City skyline since 1927 and was the tallest structure in the borough until 1990.

Emmanuel's family owns an insurance business on the third floor. They became concerned about the tower because of development in the neighborhood. Emanuel, a 25-year-old realtor, formally asked the city to landmark it last year.

"We wanted to make sure that we did everything we could to try and protect the building," Emmanuel said.

His appeals gained urgency after a development company bought the building for $31 million and terminated the leases of the remaining tenants, citing the need for demolition.

Emanuel may have started the process alone, but others quickly joined the fight, including some local residents and the local councilman, Jimmy Van Bramer.

"When you take the 7 or the N or the W, this is the building you see and you have seen for generations, since the '20s," Van Bramer said. "We want to make sure that building stays there, that this piece of history remains, because there is so much pressure in that part of Queens Plaza and Long Island City to tear things down and build even higher."

With its vote, the landmarks commission has at least 40 days to determine whether the building should be preserved. As for the Emmanuel family business, it will have to relocate. Gary Emmanuel is not sure where he will go, but he's proud of his son's advocacy.

"He's a mover and a shaker, to say the least," he said.

Christian Emmanuel is also amazed at what he and others were able to accomplish.