Central Avenue Historic District
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Why it's listed
Central Avenue Historic District in Ridgewood, Queens, is a ten-acre group of 104 three-story brick tenements lining 65th Place and 66th Street between 70th Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. All were built in 1916 by Henry W. Meyer, a Ridgewood land developer and businessman, and designed by Louis Berger and Co., the neighborhood's most prolific architectural firm. Each building holds two apartments per floor and features amber iron-spot brick in patterned designs, cast-stone lintels and sills, brownstone stoops with ironwork, and pressed metal cornices. Buildings on 66th Street north of Central Avenue have brick parapets instead, which the nomination reads as an early step toward simpler, more modern facades. The tenements imitate the well-known Mathews Flats model tenements, sharing wide lots, interior airshafts, large windows and private sanitary facilities in each apartment, though the facade treatment differs. The district was drawn to exclude surrounding frame houses and commercial or industrial buildings, and it remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The district is an intact, cohesive residential neighborhood of tenements built in imitation of the "Mathews Flats" model tenements originated in Ridgewood. All were built by developer Henry W. Meyer and designed by Louis Berger and Co. The rows on 66th Street north of Central Avenue use masonry parapets, reflecting an early move toward simplified, "modern" detailing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 14000911, listed November 12, 2014. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 16-50 Central Ave., 1-5 W. Main & 40 Clark Sts., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | November 12, 2014 |
| Reference number | 14000911 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Built by Henry W. Meyer; designed by Louis Berger and Co. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque and Renaissance Revival detail |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings remain largely intact, with typical alterations such as new doors, ironwork and awnings; the form lists no non-contributing buildings. |
| Acreage | 3.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.90159, -78.67009 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 14000911.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22060948
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.