Some Northeast Queens residents say there's something special about their neighborhood, and they want the city to recognize it. NY1's Shannan Ferry filed this report.
The Broadway-Flushing section of Eastern Queens is home to plenty of well-manicured homes, dating back to the early 20th century.
But these civic leaders fear that could soon change, if the area isn't designated a city historic district.
"The homes that are being built are not of the character of what Broadway-Flushing is and should remain," said Sandi Viviani of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission protects the city's architecture by granting significant buildings and sites historic status and regulating them. It's something many Broadway-Flushing residents have been asking for for more than a decade, but say the need is more dire now than ever before.
"There's no more charming colonials, arts and crafts homes, Tudors. You don't see that anymore," said Janet McCreesh, of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association.
Broadway-Flushing has been placed on the state and national registers of historic places, but State Senator Tony Avella says that doesn't protect private homes from being demolished and then replaced by other ones that don't fit in well with the neighborhood.
"If a developer buys a house, they want to change it, they have to go to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for approval. So it's the ultimate protection," said Avella.
A spokesman for the commission tells NY1 in part the agency performed a house-by-house survey of about 2,300 buildings from 2006-2007. They decided not to recommend the neighborhood for landmark designation, a decision based on a number of inappropriate new buildings, alterations to houses, and the removal of decorative details, among other reasons.
Residents complain it's the remaining historic homes they're trying to protect.
"The house I'm in was 1926, and we're only the second owner," said Joseph Brostek of the Queens Historical Society.
Community members say they'll continue fighting until the city reconsiders.