Using Historic Preservation To Block Suburban Renovations

Renovating families "might soon be living in the middle of a 1,330-property, 74-block historic district. If that happens, [major renovations] would be subject to approval by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission, which will aim to maintain or restore the historic character of the area."

Supporters say that the case for a new preservation district is "slowly being eroded behind construction scaffolds. The citywide development boom has deposited gaudy McMansions in the area -- looming monsters laced with baroque fencing and putrid brickface. The Broadway-Flushing Historic District proposal is a bid to fend off this invasion of what one Queens preservationist calls 'Home Depot moderne.'"