The Abandoned Bank of Douglaston

There’s an interesting group of buildings on the east side of Douglaston Parkway just north of Northern Boulevard. While some parts of town are being developed at breakneck speed, especially in the western part of the borough near the East River, things tend to change only tangentially out here in the relative sticks.

This block of mixed businesses and residential apartments, on the second floor, was constructed around 1925-1927, according to surveys. Of special note here is the central classically-styled pediment. This was apparently considered to be a potential shopping mecca in the 1920s. That never quite happened, as the shopping and mall strip developed further east in Little Neck.

My eye was drawn to the magnificent Douglaston National Bank of New York. The bank was apparently active from 1927 to 1933 and went into receivership the latter year. It’s branch here in Douglaston, though, has stood intact for decades, waiting for another business to move in, but so far, none has taken it over.

The building is a riot of terra-cotta facing; the date of construction is emblazoned on its own small pediment.

The long-defunct bank trigram, DNB, can be found on the barred windows.

This is a marvelous example of 1920s neighborhood bank architecture, preserved in the aspic of slow-to-change, sleepy Douglaston.

Kevin Walsh’s website is Forgotten New York. His book, with the same name, is also available.