Queens County Savings Bank

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Address: 75-44 Main Street
Neighborhood: Kew Gardens Hills
Architect:  Carlson, Harold O.
Year: 1954
Current Status: Extant
Award:  Bronze Plaque for Banks
Typology:  Bank

The Kew Gardens Hills branch of the Queens County Savings Bank is a high-style interpretation of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall. Like that building, this one is a two-story brick structure with a central six-segment central tower. The details are also similar to Independence Hall, with the tower incorporating four clock faces, a cupola, spire, and weathervane. The main building has wings of two bays wide instead of three like Independence Hall. the interior is decorated with several significant illustrations of American history, most notably a replica of the Liberty Bell inside the lobby. The double-height banking hall has decorative wood paneling, moldings, a decorative cornice, and large reproductions of paintings including Washington Crossing the Delaware and the Signers of the Declaration of Independence behind the teller counter.

It is unclear why the branch was designed using Independence Hall for inspiration, although according to the National Register nomination, the bank president was from Philadelphia and it may have been his idea. Originally, the rear addition housed the Vleigh branch library until this moved to its new home, also a Queens Chamber Award winner, a short distance away. The bank was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Sources:

Howe, Kathleen A. “National Register of Historic Places Registration: Queens County Savings Bank” New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. February 2005.