YEARS beyond comprehension ago … perhaps 1998 or 1999 … I photographed this broken down street clock on the east side of Sutphin Boulevard south of Jamaica Avenue. At the time the clock face was used for a listing for the Kalmon Dolgin real estate firm. Kalman Dolgin is a familiar name in NYC real estate, mainly because of ads like this one that have appeared on various buildings the past few decades.
On the left can be seen the landmarked Jamaica Savings Bank, now a Capital One branch.
As a rule street clocks were not installed by the city, like signs or lampposts. They were funded privately to advertise a business, in many cases a jewelry firm or optometrist: companies that use glass as part of their their products. This clock was different. I have no idea if the Jamaica Drake School was the original sponsor of this clock, but its name appears on this 1940 tax photo. The terra cotta clad building is still there, too.
What isn’t there, including the old clock, is the Jamaica Avenue el, which ran until 1977 east of 120th Street and was torn down the next year; in 1988 a tunnel connecting the remaining el with the Parsons Archer station opened.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
7/21/25
5 comments
This photo brings back lots of memories. The top two floors of the modern brick building on the right were LIRR offices in the late nineties and early 2000s, and I was one of the management staff assigned there. I was there August 14, 2003 when the Blackout of 2003 occurred. I was getting ready to leave when the power went out, but didn’t get home till about 2 AM the following day.
Drake Business School existed for 131 years until 2004, its last location was in Astoria.
Drake WAS a business school but then its principal got shot
in the ass
From what I can determine Jamaica Drake School was part of a now-defunct chain of private business schools around the city.
That clock is no longer there.