A Spotlight on Significant New York Architect Manoug Exerjian: The Face Behind The Virginia & The Carolina in Forest Hills
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The Art Deco Virginia entrance with attractive landscaping, Photo by Linda Perlman.
By Michael Perlman
Among the most significant architects that shaped the Forest Hills and Rego Park vicinity in the 1920s to the 1950s are Benjamin Braunstein, Theodore Engelhardt, Seeling & Finkelstein, Philip Birnbaum, Joseph Unger, and Manoug M. Exerjian, who set a new standard. They were masters of old-world architecture that remains timeless, and trained by scholars, influenced by a rich European history.
Exerjian, who is believed to have been born in 1888 in Constantinople, was a graduate of the Royal School of Architecture in Istanbul in 1914, and immigrated to America later that year, prior to The Armenian Genocide. In 1923, he established an architectural practice in Great Neck. It is believed that he resided at 119-51 Metropolitan Avenue in Kew Gardens with his wife, Arax, and in a Mediterranean Revival style rowhouse at 68-48 Fleet Street in Forest Hills. At the time of his passing in November 1974, he last resided at 18 Bonnie Heights Road in Manhasset. He had two daughters, Zepure Andreasian and Elaine Gonzalez, as well as a brother named Gabriel and five grandchildren. Exerjian’s first wife was Suzanne Algen, but she died in childbirth along with their unborn baby.
As of 1924, Exerjian operated an office at 7 East 42nd Street, Suite 1002 in Manhattan, and formerly operated at 11 East 56th Street. In 1928, when he was based at 147 East 33rd Street, it was announced that he opened a branch at the Tudor-style One Continental Avenue Building. Rentals would be handled by Benjamin Mesrobian. “Mr. Exerjian specializes in private residences and apartment houses and would like to receive manufacturers’ samples,” read an architect announcement in the Architectural Record, Volume 63, published in May 1928.
Exerjian was the owner of 67th Avenue Realty Corporation, and the architect of the award-winning twin apartment buildings, The Virginia at 98-120 Queens Boulevard and The Carolina at 98-76 Queens Boulevard, which he designed in the Art Deco style in 1938. The location was highly desirable, since the IND subway line opened on December 31, 1936, and was steps away from the 67th Avenue station. Another incentive was the short commute to the 1939 – 1940 World’s Fair. The building facades evoke the spirit of the Grand Concourse and South Beach.
Austin Street homes by Manoug Exerjian.
Architecture, art, and landscaping consolidate harmoniously at both properties. Unique Art Deco railings at street level and along the roofline exhibit mythological-inspired motifs and urns, and sleek stone friezes along the upper and lower facades bear horizontal and vertical bands, and wave motifs can be found along the bowed façade of the double entranceways. The front gardens are well manicured. Curved and rectangular facades with corner windows, which were once large and well-proportioned steel casements, are among additional distinctive features.
Harmonizing with The Virginia’s bowed Moderne entranceway was Exerjian’s similar style renting office just to the west, which would shortly be replaced with his three-section Art Deco retail building, extending to The Carolina. The east and west facades would feature orange brick and beige vertically striped horizontal stone bands, and the central façade would consist of stone with a dark pink band of identical nature. In the decades that followed, Exerjian’s creation would continue with successful businesses, including Jay Dee Bakery, Boulevard Delicatessen, Carvel, the Rosette Shop, Bare Essentials, and Associated. The prospectus depicted 11 stores and stated, “A new motion picture theatre (Trylon Theatre) and several large housing developments opposite this property draw many more, making it the ideal business location.”
Newcomers to an expanding neighborhood influenced by Colonial and Art Deco styles picked up The Virginia prospectus, where an excerpt stated, “Situated on the highest spot of Forest Hills is the first unit of a series of apartment houses, which will be built in this vicinity. It comprises of 72 apartments of varied sizes including 2 – 2 ½ – 3 – 3 ½ – 4 – 4 ½ – and 5 rooms, with one and two bathrooms. It embodies all the features for comfort and modern living that the best of any apartment in the Metropolitan area may offer.” Among the features were abundantly sunlit cross-ventilated spacious rooms, all opening off a large foyer, as well as a roof terrace, a specially equipped ping-pong room in the basement, soundproofed floors and walls where apartments are divided, and a scientifically designed kitchen with heat-controlled ranges, electric refrigeration and built-in dryers.
The prospectus later referenced “advantages and refinements seldom found even in the best of apartments.” It read “Permanent open and commanding views on all sides. No room in the entire building faces a blank wall 15’ away. Vapor heating system ensuring uniform, well balanced and modulated heating. Switch controlled plugs in living room, in addition to centre lights.”
The twin buildings’ traditional yet futuristic style would prove to be a draw. The prospectus read, “The design of the building and the decoration of the apartments have been executed in such a manner to provide an appropriate background for either modern or period furnishings.” Part of the appeal was how owners precisely planned rooms, in order for essential furnishings to be arranged to residents’ advantages. A September 18, 1938 New York Times ad announced The Virginia’s completion and referenced “an unsurpassed view of the World’s Fair Grounds” and “Every conceivable 1938 improvement.” An apartments available sheet for The Virginia included the four-room apartment 4A for $85, where $80 rent would be an acceptable rate, and a two and a half apartment 1G for $55, where $50 would be acceptable. At the time, Bert Russell was the super.
The opening of The Carolina, consisting of 78 apartments, would soon follow. An August 13, 1939 New York Times ad referenced a reasonable rental of 2 to 5 rooms, with an 18-minute commute to Times Square. It read, “Queens’ most modern and attractive apartments embody all features of comfortable and luxurious living.” A Queensborough publication ad, which spotlighted The Carolina with Manoug Exerjian and Dick Realty Corporation as the owner (and builder), stated “Winner of an award for excellence in design and construction, Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens, 1939 Building Awards.” The corporation’s president was D.M. Sarkisian of 21-16 44th Road in Long Island City. The Virginia, however, was registered under Forest Hills Heights Corporation as the owner.
Sarkisian announced in October 1939 that 50 tenants moved in during the initial week of the buildings’ opening, and prior to the first tenants settling in, the suites were 90 percent rented. He developed a small private park between the buildings, and would prepare plans for a third unit, but for an undetermined reason, the development halted at The Virginia and The Carolina.
As local residents take a stroll along the serene section of Austin Street, west of Yellowstone Boulevard, they encounter Colonial rowhouses, which resembles a touch of the south. Among them are 67-50 to 67-76 Austin Street, another fine achievement by Exerjian, although the facades could benefit from restoration work to celebrate his unique talent. In a circa 1941 letter from the architect, who also served as the president of the owners as “Houses For Modern Living, Inc,” a description of the two-story award-winning attached residents was included. The façade was admired for its pediments, shutters, lintels, tall chimneys, pitched rooflines, casement and Colonial windows, balconies with Colonial motifs, and archways above garages. It read, “These houses are designed and constructed to conform with all comforts and requirements that a completely detached house may offer. The garage in front at street level, and a completely private garden in rear, also at street level, is arranged to be made part of immediate living. The houses consist of six rooms and bath, with an extra lavatory on 1st floor, and entertainment room, boiler room, and laundry in basement.”
Suzanne Algen Exerjian & her husband Manoug Exerjian, New York, NY circa 1920 – 1925, Courtesy of the family of Zevart and Cesar Algen.
On November 4, 1940, The New York Times reported that Exerjian sold the 24 remaining lots on the south side after building and selling a number of private houses. The property was advertised as three blocks from the former Eighth Avenue Subway, and purchased by the Golden Development Company, where Richard Golden was president. The plan was to erect fourteen homes. Today, the street at large retains its Colonial ambiance.
Backtracking to March 1939, readers of The New York Times picked up a numbered map featuring key recent and upcoming developments, which real estate expert Leonard S. Gans prepared after surveying the land. An excerpt stated, “In a 500-acre section of Queens just south of the World’s Fair site, along Queens Boulevard and the neighboring thoroughfares, sweeping changes are taking place. Garden apartment houses, small homes and rows of retail shops are springing up on a score of large sites there.” Gans called it a “garden village,” which he visualized as continuing to blossom and offer accommodations for approximately 85,000 residents, and he attributed such growth to new highway and rapid transit connections and the Federal Housing Administration program, which fostered large-scale housing through mortgage insurance. Among the numbered soon-to-open significant developments on the map were Queens Boulevard Gardens and Thorneycroft Homes.
Today, The Virginia is a co-op and The Carolina is a condo, and both are largely preserved and united architecturally, but independently managed. Jesus A. Castro serves as the super of The Virginia for the past eight years. After learning about his building’s architectural beauty and history, he said, “It is a very great idea to preserve the historical design of these buildings. It is amazing to see the unique design of the entire building. I feel proud to work at The Virginia, a building by a historical architect. Forest Hills and Rego Park are historical communities.” He also expressed his support of Rego-Forest Preservation Council’s interest in a cause to co-name the street corner in honor of Manoug Exerjian as a significant architect and builder.
Another significant Exerjian project is Italian Charities of America at 83-20 Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst, which was designed in a Modernist style and completed in 1951. A distinctive characteristic is a unique porch-like curved corner, accentuated bricks, and roundels. It was also awarded for its architectural and civic value by the Queens Chamber of Commerce. The organization was founded in 1936 and continues to offer a dominant presence for the Italian and Italian-American community in the name of culture, heritage, and history.
Ted Andreasian is the grandson of Manoug Exerjian, and Arax was his grandma. At 63, he resides in Hastings-on-Hudson and his hometown is Roslyn. He achieved degrees in economics and international affairs from Columbia University. He takes pride in his most recent career iteration with his wife, Nune Karamyan, as photographers with a studio. Their work can be explored at www.tedandnune.com. Today, they have four children and a grandson.
Ted Andreasian & his wife Nune Karamyan after a long day of hiking & photographing Meydan Castle.
Andreasian’s artistic eye can stem from his grandpa. “I have always enjoyed and appreciated his work. I am most familiar with what he’s done in Manhasset and Great Neck, as well as Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs in Queens, where I attended Sunday school,” he said. “I have many interests and always enjoyed photography and architecture. Growing up, knowing what he designed and built certainly influenced me. In fact, when we decided to pursue photography about 10 years ago, our initial focus was on architecture.” In 2023, they released a book on Armenian monasteries. The subject of architecture continues to be around him, since Nune’s fathers was an architect, and her son and his wife are architects.
This fall, he and his wife are holding an exhibition in their studio based on Armenia’s Syunik region. They are also pursuing a project on historic Armenian heritage sites in eastern Turkey (specifically monasteries and fortresses), and are planning a documentary and a book.Although his grandpa passed on when he was 13, certain memories seem like yesterday. “He was living in Manhasset when he passed away, and we were in the next town over. He was always kind to me and others, gave me books to read, and played backgammon. I always felt that education was important,” said Andreasian.
When asked if he would support having a street co-naming along with an exhibit and/or mural to honor his grandpa’s meaningful achievements, Andreasian responded, “That would be a very nice gesture.” He continued, “It is important to preserve historic buildings. They display the style of a bygone era and lend character to areas that sometimes seem bland.”
Several Exerjian projects can also be found in Great Neck, despite some insensitive alterations. They include The Carleton at 15 Hillpark Avenue, Wallgate Apartments at Grace Avenue and Chapel Place, The Russell House South at 160 South Middle Neck Road, Cartier at 21 Bond Street, and 14 Stoner Avenue, as well as commercial buildings at 10 Grace Avenue, 5 Bond Street, and 40 Middle Neck Road. His projects can also be found in Manhasset along both sides of Northern Boulevard. He also designed Dolphin Green garden apartments in Port Washington.
To contribute Manoug Exerjian memorabilia for research and projects, please contact mperlman@queensledger.com
