Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge Number 878
- Architect
- The Ballinger Company
- Style
- Renaissance Revival
- City
- Queens, NY
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge Number 878, is a 3+1/2-story Italian Renaissance Revival lodge building on Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst, designed by the Ballinger Company and built in 1923-1924, with a rear addition following in 1930. From its completion until the late 20th century it was one of the most politically influential fraternal lodges in Queens, with membership peaking at 6,600 in the 1960s.
the building
Materials and ornament. The building is built of granite, limestone, and brick, with a granite-block terrace and granite balustrade, a limestone arched entrance, and an elaborate cornice worked in architectural terracotta.
The lodge amenities. At its peak, Lodge 878 was the largest Elks lodge in the Eastern United States, housing 28 inn rooms, bowling alleys, game rooms, separate lounges for men and women, and a 60-foot bar.
The elk statue. A statue of an elk stands outside the building's Queens Boulevard entrance, marking the lodge's presence on the street.
the style
The lodge was built in the Renaissance Revival style, giving a fraternal social club the ornamented, palazzo-like street presence more often associated with civic or banking buildings of the era.
More on Renaissance Revivalthe architect
The building was designed by the Ballinger Company, the architecture firm responsible for both the 1923-1924 main building and its two-story annex.
significance
The lodge is a New York City Individual Landmark (LP-02086), designated August 14, 2001, and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was once the political and social hub of Queens fraternal life, though membership declined sharply in the late 20th century amid the borough's changing demographics, and the building has since been rented out for other events.
nearby
- Old Saint James Episcopal Church (Old Saint James Parish Hall)
- Reformed Church of Newtown
- Rego Park Jewish Center
- Bliss Theatre
- Ridgewood Savings Bank, Forest Hills Branch
- St. Luke's Episcopal Church