Newsday from New York, New York • 8

Rm Pboua by J. lUcM Donkrakt The Queensboro Bridge, as seen from Long Island City looking toward Manhattan, is the largest of the city-declared landmarks in Queens Landmarks: Gems of Queens By Dennis Duggan' Newsday New York Bureau Chief They are like museum pieces except they stand cheek to jowl alongside junkyards and factories, or they abut bustling thoroughfares and introspective salt mushes. Like museum pieces, they provide their viewers with sudden glimpses into yesteryear, where Italianate country villas, wood-shingled Quaker meeting halls and neo-English Renaissance once held sway. In Queens they are scattered around the citys largest borough like diamonds in a haystack. One tiny city agency, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, is charged with the job of finding and designating them landmarks.

Since 1965, when the present 40-person agency was formed, it has identified 564 buildings, 38 districts, 19 building interiors and eight scenic places as landmarks. Most of those landmarks are buildings and sites in Manhattan and Brooklyn. In Queens, 27 buildings or sites have been given landmark status, which means such buildings or sites cant be altered without permission of the commission. Kent Berwick, the chairman of the commission, thinks the total would be higher "but, believe it or not, weve never surveyed the entire city." On a recent tour of several Queens landmarks a visitor diu covered architectural gems tucked away in unlikely enclaved and also found that not everyone is taken with the idea that his or her property will be designated a landmark by the dty.l The Rev. Ronald VandeBunte, who heads a small congrej gation of 180 who attend the carpenter Gothic-style First Reformed Church in College Point, is fighting the commissions attempt to designate the church a landmark.

"We see it as a hindrance, not a help, and we also think its an infringement of the state on our religious freedom. I Rev. VandeBunte says two hearings have been held by the commission and the next move is up to the Board of Estimate. "If they approve it well go to court and I think we have a goon case, he says. But most owners accept the designation as a tribute.

Some note that it helps them get finandalhelp from the federal government in the form of matching grants to repairs. Nora Mandel, who is cultural assistant to Queens Borough President Donald Manes, says that at least three Queens structures, the Jamaica Art Center, the Onderdonk house in Ridgewood and the Maspeth Town Hall are receiving granta for such work. V. SUNDAY. MARCH 30.

1900 Ms. Mandel thinks some of the problems the commission has had with some owners have come from the commissions "insensitivity to what community groups want Some people are frightened by what they regard as over-regulation bv the government she saye BpVahe is a strong supporter of land-; mark'designations because They enhance the city. Sometimes iiassLsBJ6B8eJ.