US Post Office-Jackson Heights Station
Also known as: Jackson Heights Station
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Jackson Heights Station Post Office, at 78-02 37th Avenue in Queens, is a one-story brick building with a symmetrical nine-bay facade. A three-bay entrance pavilion with four brick Doric pilasters supports a limestone pediment, and the doorway has fluted Doric columns, a fanlight and a cast-metal eagle. Built in 1936-37, it was designed by consulting architect Benjamin C. Flournoy under the Treasury's Office of the Supervising Architect, and it reflects Colonial Revival forms common to federal buildings of the period. It was one of six post offices built in Queens during the 1930s as part of New Deal employment efforts, serving a neighborhood that grew from farm fields into a dense residential area. Inside, the lobby keeps some original terrazzo and plaster, and a 1940 mural by Peppino Mangravite, titled Development of Jackson Heights, hangs above the station manager's office door. A 1964 extension altered the rear and east side, but the exterior remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The building is an intact, representative example of federal architecture produced by Depression-era public works programs. It was designed by consulting architect Benjamin C. Flournoy for the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury. It also holds a 1940 mural by Peppino Mangravite commissioned by the Treasury Section of Fine Arts.
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 88002504, listed November 17, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 78-02 37th Ave., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Queens |
| Listed | November 17, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002504 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1936-7; 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Benjamin C. Flourney (Flournoy), Consulting Architect |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a government post office; altered by a 1964 addition and modern lobby fittings, but retains exterior integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Jackson Heights Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.74921, -73.88744 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 88002504.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890977
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.