Lily Gavin at the Luke Adams Street Renaming
Feb. 10, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan
The City Council introduced legislation to co-name 40 streets throughout the city, including several in Sunnyside and Long Island City, in honor of community members who left a lasting impact on the neighborhood.
If the legislation passes, it would rename five streets in the area after civic leaders that died over the past few years.
The stretch of Queens Boulevard between 39th Place and 40th Street would be co-named Lily Gavin Way, for restaurant owner and active Sunnyside community member Lily Gavin, who died last summer.
Gavin opened Dazies Restaurant, at 39-41 Queens Boulevard, in the early 1970s, and was deeply involved in the Sunnyside community.
Over her nearly 50 years in Sunnyside, Gavin was at one time president of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce and helped raise money to repair the emblematic Sunnyside Arch, and was an active supporter of the YMCA, the Sunnyside Senior Center, the Sunnyside Drum Corporation, the Boys & Girls Club and the Queens Council of Tourism.
“Lily was a force in just about every commercial, civic and political event in Sunnyside for so long that few can remember a time before Lily and Dazies,” Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said when she died last July, who is also cosponsoring the legislation.
The legislation would also co-name the intersection of 50th Street and 43rd Avenue for former Community Board 2 District Manager Dolores Rizzotto, who died in 2014.
Rizotto was a lifelong resident of Corona and managed Community Board 2 for 15 years before retiring to Florida in 2006.
The legislation would also co-name the intersection at 41st Street and 50th Avenue FF Michael Brennan Way, named for 27-year-old firefighter Michael Brennan who died on September 11, 2001 in the World Trade Center.
Brennan was working at Ladder 4 in the Theater District, and rushed in to the Trade Center with 14 other firefighters after the first plane hit, but was not heard from again.
Under the legislation, the intersection of 2nd Street and Borden Avenue in Long Island City would be co-named as Tony Mazzarella Way, after the longtime owner of the Waterfront Crab House restaurant, who died in early 2015.
Mazzarella was a prizefighter in his youth, before opening the iconic LIC restaurant and running it for nearly 40 years. He was also known in the community for his charitable work supporting the Precinct Council, and was on the board of the Queens branch of the American Cancer Society, as well as supporting other local organizations.
Finally, the intersection at 41st Avenue and 12th Street would also be co-named under the legislation as Nina Adams Way, in honor of the longtime president of the Queensbridge Houses Tenants Association who died in 2015.
Adams was known for her work advocating for Queensbridge residents. She started the Queensbridge Outreach Program, which organized afterschool care and trips for kids living in the public housing development, and headed the tenants association for more than 16 years.
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22 Comments
Lily served this community for 50 yrs, donated plenty, and was hands on with too many things to list. If she doesnt deserve it, neither does anyone eles. The food is good, the music is set to the restaurants theme. They are still in business for 50 yrs because of this. Her investments were that of a very wise woman. Ellis you sound like a very bitter guy. Take a look at her life, then look at yours. What good did you do? There should be more lily gavins around here, if i had a daughter, i would hope she would turn out to be like lily
Thats what people are supposed to do, set their families up if possible you dope
She was not a wonderful lady. You don’t know about her dark side. That was her public persona. How about keeping the store in the building she owned unoccupied so that she could eventually put up a big apartment building and make millions for her grsndchildren. The food and music at her place wasn’t real good either.
Awww, this is so nice I really liked Lily Gavin! 🙂 She was a wonderful lady.
You people are hurtful. I’m putting a “dislike” next to all of your comments as I do all the time! Ha, ha.
people, please ignore what my son says, he knows not what he does
I told you ,you’re not his dad, the dna was inconclusive, hes a trick baby
Leave my son alone!! We dropped him on his head when he was little. He’s never been the same.
Some people have no life so they have to prove how stupid and ignorant they are , hence these comments from elcun- toe
Really, El loco the people being honored contributed plenty to the area, whats your claim to fame you idiotic loser, sit in your rent controlled apartment hiding behind your keyboard and making stupid moronic comments. What did you ever do in your worthless little life to contribute to this area. Your probably a drunk. Go get a life you stupid jerk.
Hey is Ethel still alive.she must’ve about 120 by now. They should rename the neighborhood after her. Ethelside.
El loco is a p.o.s.
She does not deserve it. Where is Jimmy Van Beamer street going to be? How about Pat Dorfman Boulevard? El Loco Avenue? Rick Duro Street?
How bout something for the local boy who became President?
QB should become TRUMP Boulevard!
El Loco, I’d prefer a ‘Rick Duro Way’.
you got it Ricky D. How’s the dog(s) doing?
Thank you for reminding all of us that communities are molded by individuals who actively participate in community life. We need to honor their service more. And this is one very good way.
I would like the pigeon/rat infested area under the Amtrak bridge on 43rd street named after my son, El Loco. Its mess, just like his room.
No she doesn’t.
An appropriate honor for an incredible woman. God bless you lily, you are missed.
Thank you JVB for switching your attention back to the neighborhood and not some B.S political agenda you have been promoting recently..
Lily was an angel. She deserves it.