Master masons restoring Astoria's historic façades, stoops, and ironwork since 1995. LPC-approved for Queens historic districts.
Astoria contains a substantial inventory of late-19th and early-20th-century row houses — primarily Romanesque Revival, Neo-Grec, and Renaissance Revival — built during the neighborhood's growth as a German-American and Greek-American residential enclave. While Astoria is not protected by a citywide historic district designation, much of the architectural fabric remains intact and the restoration market is growing rapidly.
Astoria developed after the construction of the Astoria Ferry to Manhattan in 1839 and accelerated dramatically with the opening of the Astoria Steamboat Landing and later the BMT elevated rail in 1917. Most of Astoria's historic row houses were built between 1885 and 1925 for working- and middle-class families. The neighborhood's diversity of immigrant communities — German, Greek, Italian, and now South American and Middle Eastern — preserved the housing stock through periods when other neighborhoods saw extensive demolition and redevelopment.
Notable streets: 31st Avenue, Astoria Boulevard, Ditmars Boulevard, 30th Avenue, Steinway Street.
Astoria's lack of historic district protection means restoration work doesn't require LPC review — which simplifies the process but also means there's no regulatory protection against bad work on neighboring buildings. Many Astoria row houses have been altered with synthetic stucco, vinyl siding, or replacement windows over the decades, and restoration projects often involve reversing prior incorrect work as well as repairing the original building.
Brick pointing on the original masonry; brownstone or limestone trim restoration where present; cornice repair on the Romanesque and Renaissance Revival buildings; reversal of synthetic stucco coatings and vinyl siding; window replacement to historically appropriate specifications (no LPC review required, but architecturally important).
Free on-site assessment. Written estimate within five business days. We know your block.
