Bad Bad Bayside

This area of Bayside was originally known as Bayside-Flushing when it was developed a century ago. 45 years ago, the neighborhood was bisected by the Clearview Expressway. Because of its R3-2 multifamily zoning, a few brick boxes were built on its edges. However, the integrity of the area became more severely compromised in the first few years of the 21st century, as fly-by-night building operations demolished beautiful free-standing houses originally lived in by actors, producers and celebrities of the early 20th century for more Queens Crap. These multifamily disasters would be next to each other on 208th Street between 42nd and 43rd avenues were it not for the one nice house still standing in between them. The tragedy of all of this is that within six months of these buildings being approved, this area of Bayside was rezoned for single-family detached zoning which probably would have saved them from being destroyed in the first place. The house below belonged to Vincent Aderente, an artist who designed the historic murals in the Flushing Post Office. I'm sure that if he saw what replaced his house, he'd be painting something that would reflect that crappiness! - P.D.G.


Update, 1/22/09: Vincent Aderente's grandson has informed QC that the house depicted is not the one that he grew up in and that it still stands. Sorry for the mistake. - QC