Former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman died Saturday. She was 94. The cause of death is currently unknown.
The first woman to be elected Queens borough president, Shulman held the position for 16 years, and oversaw the rezoning of dozens of neighborhoods, which created sweeping economic progress in her borough.
Shulman also played a major role in advocating for local cultural institutions — the Queens Museum of Art and the New York Hall of Science, to name a few — and is credited with ensuring that they flourished during her time in office.
Shulman held the office of Queens borough president from 1986 to 2002.
Local political leaders have already begun taking to Twitter to honor Shulman, including Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
"I had the pleasure of working with Claire when she was Queens Borough President - the first woman to hold the post. She was a trailblazer. A fierce leader who dedicated her life to bettering the lives of all Queens residents and paved the way for women leaders in the borough," Katz wrote.