Samuel Paul and Seymour Jarmul | Honorable Mention | Extant | Forest Hills | Hotel or Motel | 1961 | The Schine Inn was part of the major Schine empire of theaters and hotels across the country, only of a few of which were named Schine Inns, most notably in Massena, NY and Chicopee, MA. In 1966, just five years after the Forest Hills location opened, the chain changed hands and it is unclear if this location lasted beyond then. Today it is a senior living facility and remains recognizable architecturally despite the loss of an undulating entrance awning. The brick-faced buildings also include stone veneer details and enamel panels. The architects were local and known for large brick apartment towers, so the design here is much less striking than some of the other Schine branches.
Boegel, William J. | Bronze Plaque for Schools and Colleges | Extant | College Point | School or College | 1960 | St. Agnes is one of William Boegel’s more contemporary designs featuring a facade of buff brick and pale green enamel panels. Boegel tended toward historicist elements on his churches and schools, employing Tudor or Gothic Revival design. Here, the school is modern and square and the main decoration is a striking, curved entranceway of red polished granite topped by a large limestone cross that sits at the roofline. The complex includes amenities typical to a school of this era including an auditorium (entered from a separate wing), gymnasium, and state of the art classrooms. The older convent sits to the south of the school and according to the awards program, passage was provided internally for the nuns to go from convent directly into the school.
Salminen, Carl H. | Bronze Plaque for Commercial | Demolished | Queens Village | Commercial Building | 1951 | A large auto showroom and repair garage, Village Chevrolet has since been replaced by a contemporary school building. the original structure was a typical auto facility of steel and brick construction with large window expanses along the street and a circular showroom. While primarily horizontal, there was a vertical chimney with the Chevrolet name on it to attract passerby. The company’s name was also present in large neon lettering across the parapet. This facility seems to have been one of a number in the area, with a vintage Ford sign still visible across the street and a motorcycle repair shop immediately next door.
Weschsler and Schimenti | Honorable Mention | Extant | Hollis | Office Building | 1961 | The Toy & Novelty Workers building is a two-story complex of beige brick with striking decorative elements of sky blue enamel panels and a yellow metal decorative screen. The original signage remains on the building but it seems to house a daycare center now. It is a fitting repurposing of a toy-making union and the decorative details harmonize well with the playground equipment now present in the entrance courtyard.
Perlstein, Jerome W. | Bronze Plaque for Residences | Extant | Bayside | Residence | 1964 | The Felixon Residence is sited on an extremely narrow corner lot coming to its narrowest where the driveway enters the property and leads to the garage under the house. The shape of the lot allows for an expansive frontage at the street with a wall of windows to the right of the entrance and a trellis running along the length of the facade to the right of the entrance. The central entrance hall opens into a living room with cathedral ceiling and sloping roof above. As with other Perlstein-designed projects, the exterior includes several materials, primarily wood but also stone veneer, brick, a shingle roof, and a large stone fireplace. The gently sloping front yard is covered in elaborately shaped plantings which add another element of unusualness to the design.
