By Michael V. Cusenza
The corner of 114th Street and 85th Avenue (pictured) will be co-named in a ceremony next Monday, May 23, 11 a.m. for beloved Richmond Hill resident Ivan Mrakovcic, The Richmond Hill Historical Society, which Mrakovcic co-founded in 1997, announced Monday.
According to the society, Mrakovcic was an architect, preservationist, and community leader. An advocate for preservation of Richmond Hill, Mrakovcic worked hard to maintain its historic character and charm. His perseverance resulted in the establishment of the Historic District in North Richmond Hill on the New York State and National Historic registers in March 2019. Involved in many area organizations, Mrakovcic served as treasurer for the Forest Park Trust and was chairman of Community Board 9 from 2002 through 2007. He was also a founding board member of the Friends of QueensWay park advocacy group.
“Ivan loved this community and worked tirelessly in so many ways to preserve its historic character and charm,” the historical society said in a Facebook post, adding that, “He was a dear friend to many and will be greatly missed. We will never forget his quirky humor, great Halloween costumes and above all his friendship.”
Mrakovcic died in 2020.
Photo Courtesy of The Richmond Hill Historical Society
