Save Astoria’s cultural heritage. The former Childs Restaurant on Broadway at 36th Street must be saved!

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR COMMUNITY!

The former Childs Restaurant on Broadway at 36th Street must be saved!

This space is important to the cultural and historical fabric of Astoria:

• Childs was the first modern restaurant chain that revolutionized dining by pioneering a clean self-service cafeteria serving inexpensive wholesome food at popular prices. Their dining spaces were designed and created by the finest architects and craftsmen of their time. They epitomized the New York dining experience and were selected as official food vendors at the 1939 New York World's Fair.

• Childs used the finest materials and expert talent in creating the dining spaces: architects Ethen Dennison and Charles Hirons designed an impressive building portfolio in the city including several NYC Designated Landmarks. The team they assembled for the Childs account designed many of the buildings that are NYC icons, and whom also taught a generation of artists and architects traditions of fine urban design sustained in our city through today. These buildings, including the Astoria Childs, are now considered architectural treasures in their communities.

• Efforts are now being made to both expand the list and to restore Landmark Designated Childs Restaurants. Architectural critics said the ornamentation “evoked a unique fairyland environment”, and lauded details that are “quite beautiful, intriguing, and satisfying.”