Seneca-Onderdonk-Woodward Historic District
Why it's listed
Ridgewood, in Queens, contains a 21-acre district of 211 buildings put up in 1911-12, covering part or all of ten city blocks. Most are three-story brick tenements with two apartments per floor. They are known as "Mathews Flats," a model tenement type developed by builder G.X. Mathews and designed by architect Louis Allmendinger. The design used wider lots for larger rooms, big interior air wells for light and circulation, and private sanitary facilities in each apartment, improving conditions for working-class tenants while still protecting landlord profits. Facades combine amber brick above bases of burnt orange brick, with orange brick piers, bands and window arches, pedimented door surrounds, cast-stone bands, ironwork and pressed metal cornices. The district was valued for its intact, uniform look, created by consistent scale, materials and repeated motifs. It adjoins the Central Ridgewood Historic District, which has bayfront row houses, and the tower of nearby St. Matthias Church serves as a focal point.
Significance in brief: The district is described as an intact residential area with the largest concentration of fully developed "Mathews Flats" model tenements in Ridgewood. These tenements, built by G.X. Mathews, improved living conditions for working-class tenants while preserving landlord profits. The district is also noted for its cohesive character, produced by consistent scale, setting and materials and repeated design motifs.
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 83001779, listed September 30, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Woodward, Seneca, Catalpa Aves., and Woodbine St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Queens |
| Listed | September 30, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001779 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1911-12 |
| Architect / builder | Architect Louis Allmendinger; built by the G.X. Mathews Co. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque and Renaissance Revival detail ("Mathews Flats" model tenements) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings remain largely intact, with typical alterations such as new stoops, doors, ironwork and awnings; the form reports no non-contributing buildings. Two buildings are noted as badly deteriorated or partially collapsed. |
| Acreage | 21 |
| Coordinates | 40.70179, -73.90387 (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 83001779.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7450265
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.