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TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance Records
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance (New York, N.Y.) | |
| Title | Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance Records, | |
| Dates: | 2003-2007, 2011 | |
| Abstract: | In 2003 the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance was created with the goal of making the settlement a landmark. The organization used a variety of tactics to inform the Sunnyside Gardens population of the need for land marking and the benefits of having the community landmarked. The Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance acquired signatures of Sunnyside Gardens’ residents by door to door contact and town hall meetings. The Alliance took part in Public Testimonies coordinated by the City Planning Commission and contacted local politicians to express their views in obtaining landmark status for the settlement. | |
| Extent: | 1 box, .5 cubic feet | |
| Identification: | S-35 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
The Sunnyside Garden apartments were built between 1924 and 1928 as an example of the British Garden City movement. The 77-acre community is made up of row houses and nine six story apartment buildings. In total the Sunnyside Gardens settlement consist of more than 600 buildings. During the great depression many of the apartments went into foreclosure and with the expiration of the original covenants in 1966 many owners built fences, decks, and driveways that added to the settlement.
In 1974 the Department of City Planning made Sunnyside Gardens a special planned community preservation district. This would protect open spaces by requiring permits for alterations. The special zoning had not written to preserve design elements. In 2003 the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance was created with the goal of making the settlement a landmark. The organization used a variety of tactics to inform the Sunnyside Gardens population of the need for land marking and the benefits of having the community landmarked. The Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance acquired signatures of Sunnyside Gardens’ residents by door to door contact and town hall meetings. The Alliance took part in Public Testimonies coordinated by the City Planning Commission and contacted local politicians to express their views in obtaining landmark status for the settlement. There was also an extensive letter writing campaign to Government officials who had input into deciding what areas could be designated as a landmark.
There was also heavy opposition to getting the Sunnyside Gardens’ settlement designated as a landmark. The Preservation Sunnyside Gardens coalition was one of the groups dedicated to stopping the designation of the settlement as a landmark. They held town hall meetings in the community and claimed that many of the signatures collected by the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance were not even from settlement residents.
The Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance received a Grassroots Preservation Award in 2007 from the Historic District Council. The Sunnyside Gardens’ apartment settlement was designated as New York City’s 88th Historic District in June 2007.
In 2011 the Sunnyside Garden Preservation Alliance began the Sunnyside Gardens Oral History Project. The project was designed to capture past history of the Sunnyside Gardens residents. Four discs of interviews were donated to the Queens Library Archives in December 2011.
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Scope and Content Note
The Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance Records (1 box, 2003-2007) contain the documents collected by the members of the organization in their quest for the designation of the Sunnyside Gardens’ settlement as a land mark. The collection contains eight folders collected in one box. The folders are arranged in alphabetical order by subject. There are no specific series for the collection. The folders have the following names and contents.
City Planning Commission: Public Testimony (1 folder, 2007) folder contains written statements by Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance members voicing their support of land mark designation. The City Planning Commission makes decisions on land usage and zoning for the city.
Cover Letter to City Council Members (1 folder, 2007) consists of a cover letter by the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance detailing the contents of a package that would be received by the City Council.
Ephemera (1 folder, 2003-2007) contains flyers, news clippings, and stickers collected and created by the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance.
Landmarks Preservation Cards (1 folder, 2006-2007) consists of signatures of Sunnyside Gardens’ residence that agreed with the idea of having the area land marked.
Letters of support for Landmark Designation (1 folder, 2007) contains correspondence letters from supporters of the plan to have the Sunnyside Gardens’ settlement land marked.
Opposition to Land Mark Designation (1 folder, 2006-2007) contains bulletins and flyers from opposition to the efforts of the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance. The most prominent group was the Preserve Sunnyside Gardens coalition. Included is a listing of Sunnyside Gardens’ residents that oppose the effort to land mark.
Original Petition “Harrison Place” Landmark Designation (1 folder, 2003) contains the original petition for Sunnyside Gardens’ land marking.
Preservation Campaign Petition Landmark Designation (1 folder, 2007) consists of 57 double sided pages of names of residents who approve of the land marking of Sunnyside Gardens.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance Records, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770.
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Access Points
Subject Organizations:
- Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance (New York, N.Y.)
Subject Topics:
- Historic buildings
- Landmarks
Subject Places:
- Sunnyside (New York, N.Y.)
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
