Tudor Charm Loses Ground to McMansion Space

JAMAICA ESTATES, in east-central Queens, hugs a ridge whose steepness discouraged early settlement. Even after that changed, in the early 20th century, and the neighborhood became a car-friendly suburb, residents tended to preserve the trees, which by that point were old and numerous.

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They still are. Jamaica Estates' current tree population is 5,746, mostly maples, oaks and ashes, but also Kentucky coffee trees and Japanese snowbells, according to a recent census from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. (For perspective, the Midtown Manhattan ZIP code 10036 has 784 trees.)

But that abundance may finally be under threat, as new arrivals are chopping trees down to make way for large-scale additions, according to brokers and longtime residents. One in five buyers are going a step further, they say, and razing houses, especially the area's trademark Tudors, some adorned with witch's-hat towers and leaded-glass windows.

"A lot of people that are new to the community don't respect the traditions," said Edward Morrill, who lives with his wife, Joyce, in a 2,000-square-foot home, built in 1935, that has three bedrooms, two and a half baths and a facade with a crosshatch of timbers. The home, which cost ,000 in 1973, was recently assessed at .1 million, he said.

"It's distasteful and insensitive to the history here and what we call the quality of life," Mr. Morrill said.

What it is not, though, is illegal. Even under the neighborhood's R1 and R2 zoning, which requires generous space between residences, most lots in Jamaica Estates are ample enough to hold larger houses.

Nor does the area have landmark status, the ultimate protection against teardowns in areas with restrictive zoning. In an unofficial referendum two years ago, officials said, the community clearly voiced resistance to becoming a landmark.

Modern families sometimes desire more space than diminutive older homes offer, said Isaac Abraham, who in April closed on a 1940s brick colonial in Jamaica Estates, for 0,000. Its 2,300 square feet are insufficient for himself, his wife, Elita, and their three children, so the Abrahams are adding 700 square feet, including a bedroom and a basement. He said he expected the 0,000 renovation to increase the property's value to .6 million.

"The homes need to be renovated for younger tastes," said Mr. Abraham, a jewelry importer in Manhattan whose previous address was in nearby Fresh Meadows, where he lived on one 1,500-square-foot floor of a two-family home.

With its sidewalks and side yards, Jamaica Estates reminds him of his childhood home in Great Neck, N.Y., in nearby Nassau County.

Another lure was the close-knit group of Jewish immigrants from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, his family homeland. (There are as many as 1,000 here and nearby, said Corey Bearak of the Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council.) Mr. Abraham's family is not fully unpacked, he said, but its religious life has found focus with two synagogues.

And although the presence of construction equipment may concern some neighbors, he said, the plan is to retain original details like the slate roof and dentil moldings. "The house has great craftsmanship," Mr. Abraham said. "We are trying to keep as much as possible."

But while he and other residents ponder how extensively to alter their single-family homes, zoning issues in the southern part of the neighborhood have the potential for a much greater impact. The city seeks to loosen zoning on Hillside Avenue to allow more high-rises, as part of a 368-block master plan affecting several neighborhoods in the borough.

Although many residents say Hillside's rough commercial strip needs revitalization, there is concern that adding thousands of residents could overwhelm the subway, the sewers and the schools.

In March, Community Board 8, which covers Jamaica Estates, voted 36 to 0 to reject the zoning plan, echoing the opinion of the Jamaica Estates Civic Association, a 700-member group. "We're concerned about the size of buildings overshadowing the private homes in Jamaica Estates," said Michael Bookbinder, the association's president and a 61-year resident. "We actually think the area should be downzoned."

What You'll Find

Though Hillside may be shabby, the area becomes well tended immediately after a turn onto Midland Parkway, which curves through Jamaica Estates' historic heart.

This summer, Midland's grassy mall will undergo the final phase of a 0,000 renovation, restoring the cupola-topped gatehouse that doubles as a World War II memorial.

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