Mulokas, Jonas | Honorable Mention | Extant | Maspeth | Religious Building | 1962 | The Church of the Transfiguration is one of the most unique and striking structures honored by the Chamber of Commerce during this era. Nestled within a compact residential part of Maspeth, the A-frame church incorporates traditional Lithuanian symbols into a definitively modern structure. The front facade is a wall of colored glass which sits recessed under the projecting eaves of the A-frame. The red entrance doors are surrounded by white brick, have a red undulating canopy over them, and above that a modern sculpture of the Transfiguration. The base of the building and the short projecting wings are clad in orange brick. Symbols of Lithuanian culture abound on the exterior as well as the interior, which was designed by V. K. Jonynas. A prominent bell tower rises up with a stylized shrine at the top. The architect Jonas Mulokas specialized in Lithuanian Catholic churches and several of his works still exist in Illinois among other places. An older rectory sits to the right of the church and was reclad in orange brick to match the newly constructed church.
John O'Malley and Associates | Bronze Plaque for Residences | Extant | Corona | Religious Building | 1971 | St. Leo’s Rectory is more traditional than most of the O’Malley firm’s other work. The building is a long rectangle of buff brick topped by a streamlined mansard roof, originally complete with shingles.The dark shingles have now been replaced by light colored aluminum siding and the green shutters original to the ground floor have been replaced with red shutters on both the upper and lower floors. The building does its job in fitting in well with the heterogeneous residential architecture of this part of Corona.
Shreve Lamb and Harmon Associates | Bronze Plaque for Schools and Colleges | Extant | Jamaica | Religious Building | 1966 | This educational building is built on a sharp slope above Hillside Avenue. The design is a simple brick faced box with peaked bays from the front connected to the neighboring church with a glassed in walkway. At the rear the building projects out over the parking lot with an additional floor exposed. A simple and effective design from the firm that gave us the Empire State Building.
Boegel and Allodi | Bronze Plaque for Religious Buildings | Extant | Flushing | Religious Building | 1965 | St. Mary is another example of Boegel and Allodi’s classical design using modern materials. The Gothic design incorporates ashlar and limestone, a traditional rose window. The sanctuary ceiling is wood with stained glass from Ireland. The only mention in the awards description to a more modern material is the use of Waylite blocks, a type of concrete block created in the 1930s.
Robert J. Reilly and Associates | Honorable Mention | Extant | Jamaica | Religious Building | 1962 | This church is part of a much larger religious complex which also includes the award-winning convent of 1954. The church and neighboring monastery are in a Romanesque style and clad in tan and grey rough-cut ashlar stone, topped by a red tile roof.
