By Mike TappanMay 25, 2018 8:18pmNew York City’s oldest house in the borough of Queens has been renamed after the owner, a former president of the United States, after the city moved to take steps to reduce violence against women.
The Lad Bible in Astoria, Queens, was built in 1885 and is located near the corner of West 42nd Street and West 34th Avenue.
The property is owned by a group of real estate investors who own the Brooklyn Bridge Park and Museum, the Astoria Town Center, and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
The family that owns the property says that the building, which is the oldest in the city, has served as a community gathering space for the community since 1885.
“It’s a symbol of community and history,” said Liza Ritchie, one of the owners.
“I think this name is really a reflection of the fact that there’s a community of women who have served in this building and this community is a reflection and I think it’s a great thing for this community,” Ritchie said.
The owners of the Lad Bible, who also include their daughter and granddaughter, have been working to make the building more inclusive by making it accessible to the elderly and disabled.
The project is being spearheaded by the Queens Borough of Manhattan Committee for the Arts and the Arts in Aging, and includes a variety of community organizations including the Lad Foundation, the Brooklyn Community Theatre, and many others.
“We’re very proud of the work we’ve done,” said Elizabeth Smith, the borough’s director of cultural affairs and a member of the committee.
“We are very pleased that this building will now be called Lad Bible.”
Smith said she has been working with other organizations to improve Lad Bible and that the group has received support from the city.
“The Lad Foundation has been a huge partner in making this happen and we have been able to put in place a process that will ensure that this important building will continue to serve as a historic gathering space,” she said.
Smith said the Lad Museum and Library has been using the name to highlight the work of the building’s first owners and to highlight other important historical sites around the borough.
Smith added that Lad Bible was also chosen because it reflects the importance of the women in this neighborhood.
“This building is such a significant part of Queens history, history that we really think this is a place where you can really learn about the women who worked here, the history of the place,” she explained.
“So this is just a fitting name for the building that we’re proud to have a name that honors that history.”