More than 20 members of the Juniper Park Civic Association braved the wind and rain Saturday morning as they marched outside Maspeth Federal Savings to protest the bank's decision to give a mortgage to a developer who is planning to build housing developments at the site of the historic St. Savior's Church in Maspeth.
Members of the civic group carrying signs reading "It's Our History - Save St. Savior's" and "Landmarks Preservation Committee to Queens: Drop Dead" were joined by City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) to march in front of the bank at 69th Street and Grand Avenue in Maspeth.
"Stop giving mortgages to people who will destroy our neighborhood," Juniper Park President Robert Holden shouted through a megaphone in front of the bank.
The association targeted the bank after Maspeth Federal President Kenneth Rudzwick told Juniper Park member Christina Wilkinson that the church was "just a bunch of decrepit buildings" and added "there is nothing on the property worthy of landmarking." In addition, the bank is giving a loan to the site's developers, said Juniper Park member Tony Nunziato.
Avella said borough residents should be allowed to be involved in the planning of their own neighborhoods and that the city should create zoning based on community needs.
"We need to listen to residents in terms of what they want for their community rather than let the real estate market determine," he said.
But Rudzwick said the bank closed the loan with the developer in October and the bank gave $3.5 million to the developer for a land loan, which means that the bank has no jurisdiction over demolition at the site. Rudzwick said the developers can demolish the site at any given time and that the bank is an equal housing lender, meaning it will not discriminate against any developer applying for a loan.
He said the majority of the bank's mortgage portfolios are in the Maspeth community and the loan was a natural thing for the bank to do. In addition, he said he did not hear of any opposition to development at the site when the loan was granted in October.
The civic association has been fighting for months to halt construction at the site of the 159-year-old church located at the intersection of Rust Street and 57th Drive. Holden said the city Landmarks Preservation Commission has consistently ignored preserving historic sites in Queens, such as Middle Village German eatery Niederstein's, Glendale catering hall Durow's, the Trylon Theater in Rego Park and St. Savior's. He said historic sites are often torn down to make way for crowded housing developments that detract from neighborhood character.
"The Landmarks Commission does not realize Queens has historic sites - they only focus on Manhattan," he told marchers.
Members of the association have suggested turning the St. Savior's site into a cultural center, museum or some sort of learning center for area children.
City Councilman Dennis Gallagher (R-Middle Village) recently sent a letter to Landmarks Commissioner Robert Tierney in which he said the original 1878 deed for the property limited the usage of the site for "charitable purposes in connection with the Protestant Episcopal Church."
"We are not asking them to landmark something built five years ago," Gallagher said. "It's been a church continuously for years, but Landmarks does not think it is worthy."
A demolition permit was issued at the site in March by the city Department of Buildings. A spokeswoman for property owner Tomer Dafna said apartments will be at the site, but she did not know whether the area would house condominiums or three-family homes. A DOB spokeswoman confirmed that demolition and demolition fence permits were issued for the site in March and will expire May 24.
In early April, the DOB issued a 10-day letter of revocation to stop work at the site because an incorrect asbestos report for the project had been filed with the city Department of Environmental Protection.
The civic association filed a landmark status request for the church's site, which was previously owned and sold by a Korean congregation, in January. But Landmarks denied the request because the current building had been significantly altered from the original 1847 building, following a fire set in 1970 by vandals.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by email at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156